Community Corner
Summit Honors MLK with 12th Annual Day of Service
Co-founder Andy Lark said this year's day had record number of community service events with 36.
Residents from all walks of life came out to volunteer their time on the 12th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Monday.
"It's one community, not one culture," said Annette Dwyer, head of Shaping Summit Together, a co-sponsor of the Day of Service. "We're really taking Dr. King off the history shelves and and thinking about about peace and non-violence and helping people live a better life."
Started 12 years ago by former councilman Andy Lark and his wife Kay, MLK Day of Service is a day of various community service projects around the city.
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In addition, seven students at the Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School were chosen as Hero Essay winners and give community activists were honored with Keeper of the Dream awards.
The students–Rachel Schwartz, Dylan Mondeschein, Nicholas Ritter Camille Lopez-Silvero, Gabi Friedman, Annie Baker, and Jackie Shepard–all read their essay about who is a hero to them before a crowd gathered at St John's Lutheran Church.
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In addition, the five recipients of the Keeper of the Dream award were honored and each spoke about Martin Luther King, Jr. and what this day means to them. They are: Emilie George, Rabbi Stuart Gherson of Temple Sinai, Susan Dillingham Hairston, Rev. Denison Harrield, Jr. and Janet Maulbeck.
But Dwyer emphasized that the Day of Service is about the dozens of volunteers from a variety of non-profit groups, individuals and religious institutions in towns.
Patch checked out two of the many events around town Monday: "Take a Troop to the Movies" sponsored by Summit Supports Our Troops and "If You a Give A Child a Book" sponsored by the Cub Scouts.
Christina Truhe, board member of Summit Supports Our Troops, said volunteers made more then 500 entertainment bags for troops overseas. Each bag contained two DVDs, popcorn, drinks, candy, gum, and a power bar. The turnout as so large in fact that the event wrapped up earlier than scheduled.
While most of the volunteers were school children with their parents, even Assemblyman Jon Bramnick stopped by to drop of his own package.
If you and your friends or family were at another MLK Day of Service event, send in your pictures to heather@patch.com
