Over 500 volunteer for MLK Day

ANGOLA, Ind. – For the first time, Trine University engaged in a day of service for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Jan. 21. While many students and staff members volunteered on Jan. 21, others performed tasks and volunteered during the week.

In all, more than 500 students and staff members participated on MLK Day and during the week.

One of the largest projects in terms of participation was an effort by Residence Life and staff. They coordinated a weeklong letter writing campaign for troops. Nearly 365 students and staff members took part.

The American Chemical Society made handmade cards and colored pictures that were sent to children at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.

A group of Kappa Beta Gamma sorority sisters helped with Special Olympics on Wednesday, Feb. 23.

Other projects and efforts in honor of MLK Day:

• Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity – a variety of efforts including tutorial at Angola Middle School, cleaning at the YMCA and work at a thrift store.
• The Multicultural Student Organization coordinated with the Red Cross of Northeast Indiana to hand out free smoke detectors and batteries. They also shared safety and fire prevention tips.
• Theta Phi Alpha sorority – volunteering for Women in Transition and helping at the Steuben County Humane Society.
• Staff members volunteered at a local church and visited with a kidney dialysis patient.
• Sigma Phi Epsilon members and a couple of Trine staff members played bingo with residents at the Lakeland Nursing Home.
• Kappa Sigma members organized and folded clothes at Project Help, where they also loaded a couple of trailers and assisted with assorted tasks.
• Acacia fraternity members cleaned at the Angola Masonic Lodge.
• National Society of Leadership and Success Executive Board members cleaned and organized at The Judy A. Morrill (JAM) Recreation Center.
• A pair of Trine students volunteered as tutors.
• Trine staff members also served at Big Brothers Big Sisters, St. Mary's Soup Kitchen and Steuben County Council on Aging. Another staff member volunteered on Sunday at SonLight Community Church.
• Three sororities, Gamma Phi Epsilon, Phi Sigma and Kappa Sigma Alpha, painted at RISE, Inc.
• Phi Kappa Theta fraternity members moved coats for the Mount Zion United Methodist Church's Coat Bank and helped with cleaning and maintenance at the YMCA, where a Trine staff member also volunteered.