MLK Day: “If it is to be, it is up to me!”

Venture Outdoors (VO) had much to celebrate on Monday, January 16th. Our staff and volunteer crew joined forces with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) for the tenth year in a row to bring together hundreds of community members from around the city to celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr!

We enjoyed s’mores, crafts, and music – but the crème de la crème of the event was undeniably the free ice-skating. While the weather offered little snow, hundreds of kids and adults whipped around the ice rink, even after it started to rain. Thomas, one of the SCA crew leaders, says that the best part of the event is seeing kids step on the ice for the first time. “Some of them have never been on skates before – it’s like when they first learn to walk.” Kids also made use of snow piled in the parking lot to start a snowball fight!

While students may have had the day off from school, the SCA team of high school students was working hard to make sure that everything from the registration table to the button-press station were running smoothly. SCA’s program coordinator, Josh Nard, describes the event as “not your typical service day.” It serves the community by giving a people a chance to come together to reflect on Dr. King’s legacy. “Martin Luther King Jr.’s goal was to bring people together,” adds the event’s coordinator, Felicia Davis.

The artists at this year’s event did an outstanding job incorporating Dr. King’s belief in the importance of community and social justice into beautiful collaborative works of art.

Kate Powell drew inspiration from African American artist Faith Ringgold to create a large collaborative paper quilt that featured images of kids flying above the city and dreaming of a better future. The project, inspired by Ringgold’s book Tar Beach, echoes Dr. King’s dream that every person, regardless of race, would have the same opportunities for success and happiness. Visitors were also able to weave together dreams for themselves, their community, and the world with Laverne Kim’s assistance on the loom!

Ten Thousand Villages oversaw the creation of a globe encircled by well-dressed popsicle stick children that encouraged everyone to remember, “there is someone just like us on the other side of the world.” Kenn Thomas was running his own mint as he printed off sheets of “Martin Money” (worth $100!), decorated by visitors at his station.

The East End Food Co-op provided a delightful make-your-own trail mix station, the spoils of which paired nicely with hot chocolate from REI, and The Black & Gold City Goes Green offered free CFL bulbs and tips on energy conservation!

DJ Nick Nice kept everybody in high spirits with music and clips from Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech until he could bring together the boldest among us for a lively dance-off! Kids from 5 to 18 showed off their best dance moves, and the winners were rewarded with cool VO shirts.

City Councilman Rev. Ricky Burgess wrapped up the event with a few words about Dr. King, stressing that all men and women are created equal, and that today’s youth are the hope for our future. He left the group with the words: “if it is to be, it is up to me!”

The goal of this annual event is to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream that people of all backgrounds can join together to improve our communities. The dancing, the ice skating, and even the snowball “fighting,” were all enjoyable ways for us to celebrate that dream together!

Take a look at some photos from the event below, or see more photos on our Facebook page! A big thanks to our sponsor Dominion for making this event possible!