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Volunteers find ways to serve on MLK Day

More than 1,600 volunteers filled the Highland Park Recreation Center gym Monday to work on service projects during the seventh annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

The city of Highland Park celebrated King's life with its day of service that included purposeful projects sponsored by 26 organizations.

"This is a homegrown event starting with 10 tables, and it has become a communitywide event, including Chicago and the suburbs," organizer Cheryl Levi said. "The tables provide service projects that benefit different groups of people. We have tables that help the veterans, we have tables that help the needy, we have a collection for the Moraine Township Food Bank and Lions Club."

Volunteers assembled toiletries for hospitalized veterans and the USO, made flower pots for patients at Highland Park Hospital, created Valentine messages for Operation Support Our Troops, decorated squares for Project Linus, prepared soup packets for Moraine Township Food Bank, designed Valentine's Day cards for senior citizens, and filled book bags for distribution at North Shore Health Clinic.

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White recounted his experiences as a student of King, and afterward the Jesse White Tumbling Team performed acrobatic feats for the volunteers.

The program included a rendition of King's "I Have a Dream" speech by Lynn Epps of Highland Park.

"It means a lot to be here and participate as part of a community-based project," volunteer Naomi Thompson, 18, of Grayslake said as she worked on Valentine's Day cards to be given to senior citizens.

"It is really heartwarming to see that people can come together and be as one person and to look at their similarities instead of their differences."

  Naomi Thompson, 18, of Grayslake makes a Valentine's Day card for seniors Monday during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service at the Highland Park Recreation Center. The event included purposeful service projects, entertainment, and recognition of the contributions of Martin Luther King Jr. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Lisa Burton Radzely of Lake Forest and her son, Devin, 12, package toiletries for hospitalized veterans and the Lake County Health Clinic during Monday's Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service at the Highland Park Recreation Center. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Cynthia Plouche, left, of Congregation Solel, helps Abbey Shuman, 5, Northbrook tie the ends of a blanket for the Nuestro Center during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Monday at the Highland Park Recreation Center. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
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