Richard Mason

Nearly 700 students and faculty from Southern Adventist University volunteered Monday at more than 50 organizations throughout Chattanooga in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

“There are two things that make our Community Service Day special,” Renée Baumgartner, student coordinator, said. “First of all, it’s on Martin Luther King’s day, a day we can celebrate him and his life. ... Secondly, it is a day when we can tell the community that ... we are a Christian university ... and the more students we have, the louder and farther that announcement goes.”

The students and faculty members volunteered at locations such as the American Red Cross, Children’s Home/Chambliss Shelter, Bridge Refugee Services and the Creative Discovery Museum.

Ms. Baumgartner said the local United Way gives the school ideas on where students can volunteer but that many of the tasks are student-inspired activities.

According to university officials, this is the 14th year they have organized a Community Service Day, but it is only since 2005 that the day has been incorporated with the King holiday.

Kirsten Houmann, a Southern University student and volunteer worksite coordinator at the Imagination Station playground, said this is the third time she has volunteered for Community Service Day.

“It’s really invigorating to see the number of students and faculty that come out and do this ... and that they are willing to give some of their free time and talents to give back to others in some way,” she said.

Kimberly Grace, who volunteered with Widows Harvest Ministries to build wooden steps and a porch at a widow’s home, said she chose this particular activity because she “has a heart for women who are alone and need help” after she went through a divorce.

Richard Mason with Widows Harvest Ministries said, “Almost all widows are lonely. Sometimes they just want someone to talk to or meet with, and a lot of them have house problems, but because a large number of (them) are over 60 years old and living on Social Security, they can’t do the repairs they need to have done.”

About 80 percent to 90 percent of the work of the ministry is done by students, he said.

“All I do is teach them how to use the tools, and they do the rest,” Mr. Mason said.

Ms. Grace said she would “just encourage everyone to volunteer. An hour or two does make a difference.”

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