Community organizations on Monday and over the weekend dedicated themselves to multiple beautification projects on St. Thomas, as a part of the nation’s Day of Service honoring the memory of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The civil rights leader, who would have been 84 on Jan. 15, left a legacy of service and social leadership, and the national holiday on the Monday following his birthday has become a hands-on call to service throughout the world to honor his memory.
Members of the Rotary Club of St. Thomas Sunrise gathered early Monday morning outside of the Jane E. Tuitt Elementary School, rakes and garbage bags in hand, to take part in their adopted school’s annual cleaning project. Neighbors of the Savan area school also joined in the cleaning around the basketball court and grounds.
“This was a morning well-spent,” said Rotarian Thomas Moorehead afterward, who noted that it was as if King’s “words of challenge so long ago had come to fruition, as white and black faces alike worked together this morning for the community good.”
The bagged refuse was then collected by members of My Brother’s Workshop, an area outlet promoting vocational opportunities for disadvantaged youth. While the trash collected was a mix of windblown paper and general debris, there was an inordinate amount of expended drug packaging.
On Saturday, a group of volunteers from the V.I. Democratic Party and National Guard served more than 60 meals to area homeless families at Bethlehem House in honor of King.
Also on Saturday, members of the Environmental Association of St. Thomas set their sights on the wide expanses of Magens Bay beach, collecting more than 60 bags totaling 1,200 pounds of recyclable aluminum cans in a few hours.
Jason Budson and fellow EAST members displayed signs promoting the reason for the MLK Day of Service activities to curious residents and passing tourists. The large collection of cans were then sorted by Lynn Lgwemacu of EAST and Rotary Sunrise and taken away by members of My Brother’s Workshop.
“It really brought it all home to me as I thought of service projects like ours that were taking place throughout the nation to honor Dr. King’s dream,” Budson said.
