The annual MLK Day of Service returned to Northbrook United Methodist Church (1190 Western Ave.) on Jan. 16 after a two year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is our first year back since COVID, I’m really excited,” said Rev. Krista Paradiso of Northbrook, senior pastor at Northbrook UMC.
Volunteers gathered for the four hour event on the Martin Luther King Jr., Federal Holiday for the MLK Day of Service, a church event which is approaching a one decade history of philanthropy.
The legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. instills a message of service but, “I think there’s always more work to be done,” Paradiso said.
“Right from a faith perspective, our tradition says that you will always have work to do, that we don’t hear the poor will always be with you as an excuse but as a call to action, and a call to continually keep trying to do the work that makes the world more like we think it could be and should be,” Paradiso said.
Service projects included blessing bags for the homeless, making Project Linus blankets and valentines for Lake County veterans, and washing medicine bottles for a ministry to distribute repurposed amber prescription and other secure top vials and containers to people globally in need of proper storage of medicine.
For 2023, the MLK Day of Service had four project co-chairs including Karen Glazer of Northbrook, Karen Wells of Northbrook, Heidi Ortiz of Glenview and Alice Lonoff of Northbrook.
More Top Picks Htc Vive
“My dream would be to end homelessness because it’s such a horrible problem,” Glazer said. “You go into the city and you see people sleeping in tents under bridges.”
Blessing bags for the homeless include socks, water, shampoo, toothpaste, a toothbrush, toiletries, peppermints and granola bars as examples.
“What we’re doing today is just a token,” Glazer said. “It’s a small gift … just small things but we’re writing notes in every bag saying, you know, ‘Somebody’s thinking about you today.'”
Approximately 50 handmade valentines destined for North Chicago area veterans served by the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center will be delivered before Valentine’s Day.
“Another dream is that our elder veterans,” Glazer added, “feel appreciated for their service.”
Nancy Metzler of Northbrook made valentines.
“It was fun, it’s nice to be able to do something creative,” Metzler said. “It’s so nice to be able to have this event (MLK Day of Service) again.”
Janelle Wood of Glenview made valentine greetings with children Payne Wood, 11, a fifth-grader and Bronwyn Wood, 13, a seventh-grader.
“It’s a day to give back, that Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a day that we honor Martin Luther King, Jr. and it’s a day of volunteering,” Janelle Wood said.
Addi Tucker, 7, a second-grader from Northbrook, sat with friends making valentines. Steve Tucker, Addi’s parent, said, “I think this is a wonderful opportunity for the kids to come together with the church.”
In the kitchen, volunteers were busy cleaning the prescription drug containers. Many of the childproof caps were from Walgreens sourced amber vials.
All from Northbrook, Rita Philbin, 11, a fifth-grader, Mari Paradiso, 12, a sixth-grader, Karen Watkins, Stefanie Malczyk and Michael Paradiso were among people working kitchen duty.
“It is the least we can do,” Michael Paradiso said while washing bottles under a running water tap.
Stefanie Malczyk said that if Martin Luther King, Jr. were alive, “I think he would be more than pleased and delighted that so many people gather together to support and help people in need.
But, “There’s still a lot to be done, there’s always going to be more to be done and that’s possibly finding any ways to help people in need who have already sacrificed so much,” Malczyk added. “It happens way too often to so many people.”
Karen Watkins said, “Many hands make the work faster. It also makes you feel good.”
The MLK Day of Service was one way, “to show our respect,” Rita Philbin and Mari Paradiso both said.
Rita and Mari are aware of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s renowned 1963 speech, “I Have a Dream.”
“I just want everybody to be peaceful with each other and accept each other for their differences,” Rita said.
Mari’s dream is that, “Everyone gets what they need to not just survive but thrive.
“That’s a pretty big dream,” Mari added, “but I feel like it shouldn’t be.”
Visit Northbrook UMC at https://www.northbrookumc.org.
Karie Angell Luc is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.
More Top Picks Amazon New Year Sale