Joliet Residents Give Back to Their City on MLK Day

On Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 21st, residents throughout the community of Joliet took time out of their days to give back to the city that raised them. Many schools, such as those in the Joliet Township High School District give students this holiday off to perform acts of service in honor of MLK himself.

The event was a success according to its coordinator, Kristine Schlismann. Over 500 volunteers performed 2,000 hours of public service across 23 different locations in Joliet. Volunteers spent time working at the Joliet Daybreak Center and the Forest Preserve District of Will County. Above all, they spent that day following in the footstep of Dr. King. Although he was known for his strong involvement in the civil right movement, he was also a very religious man who devoted his life to God.

Martin Luther King Jr. was raised in the Baptist church by his family. He spent many of his early years heavily involved in education, and even went on to study at Cozer Theological Seminary. Frady Marshall, author of a very famous MLK biography stated in 2002 that “[the] church offered [King] the most assuring way to answer ‘an inner urge to serve humanity.’” King himself dedicated years of his life to giving back to others, especially those in his community. Minister Benjamin Mays, A close friend and mentee of King, describes him as a loving a selfless person stating “Coupled with moral courage was Martin Luther King Jr.’s capacity to love people. Though deeply committed to a program of freedom for Negroes, he had love and concern for all kinds of peoples.” Dr. King took the fundamental Christian teachings he was raised with and implemented them in every action he made.