Winston Salem Times

High Point University issued the following announcement on January 17.

HIGH POINT, N.C., Jan. 17, 2022 – Winter weather didn’t stop High Point University students and faculty from honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy with service projects today.

Approximately 1,000 students and professors joined together to pack more than 40,000 meals to feed families in need, assemble 27,500 packets of vegetable seeds for local community gardens, and write 500 thank-you notes to frontline heroes and first responders. The events were sponsored by HPU’s Center for Community Engagement, HPU’s Fellows Programs and the Student Government Association.

MLK Day of Service 2

To honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy today, approximately 1,000 students and professors packed more than 40,000 meals, assembled 27,500 packets of vegetable seeds for local community gardens, and wrote 500 thank-you notes to frontline heroes and first responders. Pictured are 400 students in HPU’s Fellows Programs packing meals for a Rise Against Hunger event.

In 1994, Congress designated a federal holiday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service – “A Day On, Not a Day Off.” HPU has taken that charge to heart by leading hundreds of volunteers in service to the city of High Point and global causes each year.

More than 400 students in HPU’s Fellows Programs helped pack 40,000 meals for a Rise Against Hunger event. These meals will feed children through global school and disaster relief programs that help families around the world.

“Today, we had the opportunity to serve people who we may never be able to meet,” said Dakota Tameling, a senior finance major from Wheaton, Illinois. “I pray that they know the meals were packed by people who love and care for them across the ocean here at HPU. It is in this way that we attempt to honor the work of Dr. King by trying to put the needs of other people before our own. We act with humility, empathy, gratitude and a heart of service as we love each other a little bit better every day.”

The 500 thank-you notes were another way for students to get involved in the community, according to Grayson Rachels, vice president of service and philanthropy for the Student Government Association.

“With our thank-you note station for first responders, we set up in a convenient place on campus by the Slane Cafeteria so all students passing through could participate,” says Rachels. “This event is especially important to SGA as we will be sharing the cards at another event we have planned for first responders at the arena.”

MLK Day of Service 3

More than 100 students participated in another event to assemble 27,500 seed packets for local community gardens. This is another way that the university gives back to the city of High Point.

Many off-campus service events were rescheduled or canceled due to the weather. Information about the rescheduling of these events will be provided at https://www.highpoint.edu/servicelearning/mlk-day/.

“The brilliance of Dr. King’s legacy burned bright today,” said Rev. Dr. Joe Blosser, executive director of HPU’s Center for Community Engagement. “Even with snowy weather and after nearly two years of a pandemic, the deep well of compassion and resilience in our community was evident today as HPU students served to make life better for others.”

Original source can be found here.