In the Spirit of Martin Luther King, They Gave of Themselves

The Racine Dominican Eco-Justice Center, 7133 Michna Rd., Caledonia, was among the beneficiaries of volunteerism on Monday’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

A group of 17 employees from Johnson Financial Group’s information systems department and three Racine Unified high school students did a variety of chores from splitting wood to preparing fiber for future yarn.

“We’re happy to have the extra help today. There’s plenty to do here,” said Sister Janet Weyker, the center’s director.

Kaylah Cruz-Herrera, 17, a junior at Horlick High School, Jaquaise Ghani, 17, and Percy Davis, 16, both juniors at Case High School, were quickly put to work hauling hay from the barn to the center’s four alpacas. Fiber from the alpacas’ coats is made into yarn for clothing items.

Cruz-Herrera was among the youth organizers of the King holiday service day for RUSD high school students, now in its second year. She said she volunteered for the Eco-Justice Center assignment for some hands-on activity in addition to organizing.

“I’d heard about this from some friends who did it last year and wanted to try it myself,” said Ghani of the community service project.

The three were among about 200 RUSD students who spent part of their holiday from school performing service at more than a dozen sites throughout the area, including the Women’s Resource Center, St. Vincent De Paul, Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare and the Racine Theatre Guild.

Before being bused to their projects, the students gathered for breakfast served by RUSD administrators and a pep talk at Memorial Hall in downtown Racine.

“Today, you’re following the example of Dr. King by being a servant in your community. What it was all about was making a difference,” Brian Colbert, RUSD area superintendent told the students.

Colbert asked students to remember the dash between Dr. King’s birth date and death date that is on his tombstone “That dash is all that time in the middle. I want to you think about what you’re doing with that dash,” he said.

The bank employees were experiencing a healthy change of pace, said Vince Grabowski, who was leading the crew at the Eco-Justice Center, many of whom were spitting and hauling firewood as the snow flew. “It’s fun to get together like this and give back to the community,” he said.

Johnson Financial Group (JFG) is the parent company of Johnson Bank and Johnson Insurance. Elsewhere in Racine, the employees volunteered at Habitat for Humanity, the Empty Bowls project, the Homeless Assistance Leadership Organization (HALO), made blankets and collected food.

JFG employees throughout Wisconsin volunteered for service activities in their local communities on the King holiday when the banks were closed.

Racine’s King holiday commemoration was set to conclude with a community-wide soul food dinner and program at Memorial Hall starting at 5:30 p.m. Monday.