Gardner-Webb Hosts Martin Luther King Jr. Week of Celebrations and Service

Observance Invites Reflection on King’s Enduring Legacy and Encourages Community Outreach

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—The Gardner-Webb Office of Campus Unity and Connection invites the campus community to participate in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Week of Celebrations and Service. The observance offers a time to reflect on King’s enduring legacy and actively contribute to building stronger communities.

King, a champion for justice, equality, and nonviolent activism, inspired a movement that led to the end of legalized segregation with the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964. Later that same year, the 35-year-old King became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Americans celebrated the first official Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 20, 1986. In 1994, Congress designated the holiday as a National Day of Service and marked the third Monday in January every year as the “Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service: a Day On, Not a Day Off.”

The schedule for the week and suggestions of service opportunities follow.

Martin Luther King Jr. Week of Celebrations and Service

• Monday, Jan. 19
• Attend the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration hosted by the Cleveland County NAACP in Shelby, N.C.
  • Peace Walk: starts at 10:30 a.m. at the Justice Center and ends at Malcolm Brown Auditorium at Shelby High School.
  • Main program: 11:30 a.m. in Malcolm Brown Auditorium. Free and open to the public. Shuttles will run from Malcolm Brown to the Justice Center at 9:30 a.m. The speaker is Ronald Harrill, who has volunteered in education for more than 20 years, serving as a mentor, lecturer, consultant, lunch buddy, coach, advisory committee member and community advocate. The Shelby native released the second edition of his children’s book “Makeda: Queen Of Sheba” under his own publishing company, R. Harrill Enterprises.

• Tuesday, Jan. 20
• 2 p.m., Voices of Unity: The Pennant Project, Tucker Student Center—The Campus Office of Unity and Connection will provide blank pennants that individuals can write on, describing their dreams, experiences, and identities. The display will create a shared visual expression. Each pennant will represent a unique voice, and together they form a powerful symbol of community, collaboration, and unity.

• Thursday, Jan. 22
• 7 p.m., MLK Week Featured Film, Spectrum Theater, Tucker Student Center
  • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: King in the Wilderness: The Last Years of MLK Jr.’s Life’—this documentary explores a portrait of Martin Luther King Jr. during the last years of his life, from his part in the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to his assassination in 1968.

Service activities

Throughout the week, Gardner-Webb students are encouraged to join our MLK Day of Service activities:

• Donate or volunteer safely with food banks and pantries—Visit Feeding America or Food Pantries to find an organization near you.
• Deliver meals and groceries to vulnerable seniors—Help out someone you know or contact your local Meals on Wheels to learn ways to volunteer.
• Stay in Touch—Check on your neighbors, friends, and family, especially those who are older or maybe alone. A phone call, text, or a conversation through the door could brighten their day.
• Volunteer from home—Check out AllForGood.org for service ideas.

For more information, please contact: Jessika Raduly, director of Campus Unity and Connection, at [email protected].

Auxiliary aids will be made available to persons with disabilities upon request 10 working days prior to the event.  Please call 704-406-4270 or email [email protected] with your request.

Gardner-Webb University is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., Gardner-Webb prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Become More at gardner-webb.edu.