Fresh snow on the ground and low temperatures did not stop AHRC Nassau volunteers, staff, and members of the Glen Cove community from joining together for the 41st Annual Commemorative Program in Honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which featured a powerful speech from Quality Assurance Trainer Michelle Rudoff.
As a motorcade of community members traveled from the nearby First Baptist Church Glen Cove, volunteers from AHRC Nassau joined with Glen Cove residents to collect non-perishable food in front of Robert Finley Middle School. All the food, including 750 pounds collected by AHRC Nassau offices and Day Habilitation sites, was donated to the local food pantry NOSH Delivers!
Among the volunteers was Peter Hadfield, a Maintenance Assistant at the AHRC Nassau Plainview office.
“We’ll give all the food that the Hub sites collected and dropped off to NOSH,” Peter said, adding that he enjoys volunteering.
Dr. King’s Legacy
The volunteer effort in Glen Cove was a part of a grant from The Arc of the United States to support inclusive volunteer initiatives inspired by Dr. King’s dedication to community action. Throughout the year, self-advocates work alongside Volunteer Coordinator Jerri Walker to offer a helping hand to neighbors in need.
“The MLK grant is to promote inclusive volunteering, bringing people together based on a shared interest in how they can help others in their community,” Jerri said. “Fighting food insecurity is a cause many people at AHRC Nassau want to support.”
Inside the middle school vestibule, AHRC Nassau community members offered delicious cookies, original artwork from East Meadow Arts Gallery, and items for sale from Wheatley Farms and Arts Center.
“It’s been a wonderful working collaboration,” said the MLK Jr. Commemorative Commission Director Sheryl Goodine of the partnership with AHRC Nassau. “We look forward to it continually. It’s a win-win for everyone. The more people understand how much we are alike than different and celebrate our similarities and differences, the better off we’ll be in this world.”
An Inspiring Address
Michelle’s speech in the auditorium during the program embodied the idea of inclusivity and togetherness, a central message of the annual event hosted by the City of Glen Cove and the Glen Cove City School District. Her poignant remarks focused on the importance of acceptance and advocacy, especially how Dr. King’s legacy can be advanced through simple acts of kindness.
“Remember, a simple hello or smile can brighten someone’s day,” Michelle said.
The MLK Jr. Commemorative Commission is the oldest, continually running commemorative celebration in the United States dedicated to Dr. King. According to Sheryl, the commission began directly after the assassination of Dr. King as a committee of clergymen, Glen Cove politicians, and concerned residents, including Sheryl’s father, James Davis, who was then the president of the Glen Cove branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
The annual commission has evolved over the years. Before Martin Luther King Jr. Day became a federal holiday, the event was hosted over the weekend at churches and synagogues in Glen Cove. The committee joined with the City of Glen Cove and the Glen Cove City School 41 years ago, formalizing the annual community program that residents, students, volunteers, and officials know today.