UF and Santa Fe College students picked up trash around Gainesville on Monday.
About 200 students volunteered at about 11 different locations as part of the UF Center for Leadership and Service’s Martin Luther King Day of Service. Students serve the local community during the event, one of the Center’s three annual projects.
Dave Kratzer, UF’s vice president for student affairs, said it is important for students to remember their history. He said he was proud of the number of students who came out in the cold weather.
“On a long weekend when a lot of students could be sleeping in or doing something else, these students have chosen to give back to our community, Gainesville,” Kratzer said.
The event honored Martin Luther King Jr.’s fight against racism by having students help others, said Cara Snider, the AmeriCorps VISTA for the Center. She said she will volunteer with UF for one year through AmeriCorps VISTA.
“This is to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King,” the 22-year-old said.
She said she hopes more students participate in the future.
Lisette Pellot, a UF political science freshman, said she volunteered with Keep Alachua County Beautiful to help the community.
“One of the things I (learned) at the site leader meetings is they considered MLK day a ‘day on,’ not a day off,” the 18-year-old said.
Lisette Pellot, an 18-year-old UF political science freshman is one of the site leaders for Keeping Alachua County Beautiful. “It's important for UF to celebrate this and show that we are all whole," Pellot said.
