The American Federal holiday of Martin Luther King Day is to honor a man who took a stand for equality and wanted nothing more than peace and for people to be kind and help each other. Many students throughout the Hopkinton School system and community members represented what Martin Luther King J.R. stood for as they took their day off and made it a "Day On", Chair of the Hopkinton Youth Commission Margie Wiggin explained; "These kids could be at home sleeping...hanging out with their friends at the mall but they're here, they're volunteering, giving service, making fleece blankets, writing valentines for seniors in town, writing letters to service men and women, serving at the historical society building, cleaning trash in the school parking lots, they're giving back, they're making it a day on instead of a day off because they're volunteering their time."
The Day On program hosted by the Hopkinton Youth Commission has existed for more than 4 years, Wiggin explained it used to be more of an in-house activity but they expanded the program to further help the community. Activities that took place during the "Day On Program" Martin Luther King Day included; A Red Cross Blood Drive at the Middle School Cafeteria. In the Brown Gymnasium at the Middle School activities included; Blanket Making and Valentines Day Card making for Seniors, writing letters to troops serving in the military, creating mittens for wounded animals, volunteering at the Hopkinton Historical Society, cleaning school grounds and making various artwork, necklaces and other jewelry for charitable causes.
Watch the videos to hear the interview with Margie Wiggin and see the volunteers in action.
