Volunteers Rebuild Playground as Part of Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service

The Community Service Learning Office of Fairmont State University and Pierpont Community & Technical College organized a day of service in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 17.

Student volunteers from FSU and Pierpont assisted workers from Mon Youth Build to help rebuild the playground for the Fairmont non-profit organization, 612 MAC. The free afterschool program 612 MAC provides homework help, a caring environment and a free meal for the children who participate. Mon Youth Build is an organization that gives free training in a trade such as carpentry to at-risk youth between the ages of 18 and 24 who do not have a high school diploma. Volunteers will be under the direction of the Mon Youth Build on-site supervisor.

“The FSU and Pierpont Community Service Learning Office is proud to be a part of this worthy project and is excited to help 612 MAC better serve the children who attend their program,” said Donna Yergovich Nuzum, Director of Community Service Learning.

Thomas Rickenbaker, AmeriCorps VISTA for the Office of Community Service Learning, served as a coordinator for the project.

Funding for the project was secured through a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service West Virginia Campus Compact Mini-Grant for $357. The Fairmont State Foundation, Inc. contributed $250. The foundation that supports Mon Youth Build donated an additional $1,063 to the project, bringing the total funding to $1,670.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service is part of United We Serve, President Barack Obama’s national call to service initiative. The event calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to the nation’s most pressing problems. For more information about the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, visit http://mlkday.gov/index.php.

The Office of Community Service Learning at FSU and Pierpont is committed to providing beneficial, educational and memorable community outreach experiences for students, faculty and staff by assisting and coordinating individual and group service opportunities. The office supports service projects that enhance learning opportunities and improve community conditions while making positive community connections.

For more information about the Office of Community Service Learning and ideas for how to get involved with community service, contact Donna Yergovich Nuzum at (304) 367-4830 or Donna.Nuzum@fairmontstate.edu or Thomas Rickenbaker at (304) 333-3622 or trickenbaker@fairmontstate.edu.

Image credit: free-stock-photos.com

Community ServiceOffice of Community Service LearningDonna NuzumThomas RickenbakerMartin Luther King Jr.