READING, Pa. – For some, Monday’s celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was not just what he said, but what he stood for: A day on; not a day off.
At Emmanuel United Church of Christ in Shillington, kids and families showed up to serve.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with the UCC Emmanuel church here,” said Cindy Gerber Tomlinson, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Reading/Berks. “The concept of teaching the kids to work with people who are different than you — have a different religion, have a different race, have a different life choice — that is so important.”
More than 500 sandwiches made there ended up just a few miles away at New Journey Community Outreach in Reading.
This church serves hundreds of people every week, but Monday was even more special — with volunteers coming together to show up for families in need.
“Martin Luther King asked what’s the most important question you can ask yourself and that’s, ‘What are you doing for others?’” said Jeff Laylon, program director at New Journey Community Outreach. “That’s something I ask myself every day.”
And across town, service looked different, but the message was the same.
At the City of Reading greenhouse, volunteers planted Seeds of Change for community gardens and the future.
“MLK Day is a wonderful day to do community service in your neighborhoods,” said Ann Marie DeTavernier, Berks County master gardener coordinator.
At Alvernia University, students created canvas tiles featuring words that represent their communities, individual pieces of a larger mural focused on unity and belonging.
“This is the most important thing,” said Athena Worley, a student at Wilson High School. “This is how I was raised. Service is such a big thing. It’s what builds community. It’s what helps me feel connected to others and create a better Berks County.”