As Long Island residents celebrate the life and legacy of the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. with a weekend of worship events, a Patchogue library tried to keep that legacy alive with a Sunday toy collection drive for sick children.
As the official holiday Monday was marked by island-wide events, the Patchogue-Medford Library on East Main Street held its day of service for Martin Luther King Day, inviting adults and children to volunteer to attend as part of the Jared Box project.
Those who came filled special plastic shoe boxes with donated items, including Play-Doh, crayons, teddy bears, socks, markers, action figures, books and more.
Jessica Oelcher, the library’s Community Engagement Manager, said this year the library decided to partner with the Jared Box Project, which collects toys nationwide in memory of Jared McMullen, a 6-year-old Pennsylvania boy who died in 2000 died of a brainstem tumor.
“I was just looking for a children’s organization to work with this year and it just popped up online,” Oelcher said. “In the spirit of Jared and giving back, we have decided to do the same for our community.”
Using toys donated by the community, the library is making 15 care kits that will be delivered to children at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital on Tuesday. Next to the donation table were books about King for children who wanted to learn more about the pastor and civil rights pioneer. Oelcher said Toy Drive’s goals aligned with both the library’s goals and King’s legacy of selfless service to others.
“We seek to keep alive the legacy of its service-oriented mission, which is actually aligned with the library’s mission to educate, empower and entertain,” said Oelcher.
Virginia Rowley, a Medford senior, said she’s glad she can take her grandsons Marcus, 5, and Christopher Ruf, 7, from Sayville to an activity where they can give back to children and learn more about King’s life.
“It was the idea that they could have a service on Martin Luther King Day, which was the biggest promoter of this activity,” Rowley said. When asked if her two grandchildren knew of King’s legacy, Rowley said, “I’m sure Christopher knows. Marcus, I’m not sure, but he will learn. He’s in kindergarten.”
More MLK service events are planned throughout Long Island on Monday.
In Cold Spring Harbor, volunteers can prepare lunch for the Helping Hand Rescue Mission’s Tuesday lunchtime program, which begins at 9:30 am at the Kehillath Shalom Synagogue on Goose Hill Road. In Plainview, the UJA-Federation of New York will organize volunteers to distribute baby care essentials to families in need at 10:30 a.m. at Mid-Island Y on Manetto Hill Road in Plainview and at 10:00 a.m. at Sid Jacobson JCC in Greenvale .
In Middle Island, children in grades K-6 are invited to listen to information about King’s life and then paint a dove painting representing the International Peace Sign at the Longwood Library on Middle Country Road.
Jean-Paul Salamanca covers the East End. It focuses on Riverhead, Southold and Greenport on the North Fork and Hampton Bays, Westhampton Beach, Flanders, Riverside and Quogue on the South Fork.
Comments are closed.