In the spirit and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., around 200 students, faculty, staff, and community members came together to work side-by-side and serve together in unity.
In collaboration and partnership with the Office of Inclusive Excellence, the Office of Civic Engagement planned and hosted Sewanee’s second annual MLK Day of Service, working with our local chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace to build beds for children in our community who would otherwise not have a safe and healthy place to sleep.
Originally planned for MLK Day itself (January 15), the event was postponed until Saturday, February 3 because of the snow and ice storm in Sewanee in mid-January. The change in date, however, made no difference and had no impact on the participation and dedication of our community members to make a difference in the lives of kids on and around the South Cumberland Plateau. In fact, more people registered for the make-up day than the original date! Norm Flake, President of the South Pittsburg chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, said that the 200 beds built was actually a record “bed build event” for the chapter and would help with the over 200 children already on the waiting list for a bed.
To kick off the day and reflect on King’s legacy, participants enjoyed breakfast together and heard remarks from Dr. Sibby Anderson-Thompkins, Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Delana Turner, College of Arts and Sciences senior; Ed Smith, seminarian at the School of Theology; and Bruce Manual, Sewanee community member. Then, Norm shared more with everyone about the vision and mission of Sleep in Heavenly Peace and his inspiration for working with the organization to make sure that “no kid sleeps on the floor.”
In addition to the love, sanding, nailing, staining, and so much more that went into every bed built, this year’s event added more opportunities for volunteers to contribute to a child’s well-being. Volunteers who preferred not to do the woodworking were invited to make cards and blankets for the kids so that, in addition to receiving their very own bed, they would also receive a handmade blanket and card to know how much they are loved. This addition was a huge success and appreciated by all!
As Ed Smith reflected on the day, “I enjoyed seeing the Sewanee and surrounding communities come together for the greater good. I believe that Saturday showed what Dr. King felt we could do if we truly saw each other as God's children.”
