“I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for
their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for
their spirits.” Martin Luther King Jr.
Sometimes I think we take our young people for granted and fail to recognize the contributions they make to our quality of life. Numerous examples of community service by young “citizens in the making” promoted in recent MLK National Day of Service activities came to my attention.
The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday incorporates an official day of service and celebrates the civil rights leader’s life and legacy. In Jaffrey this year, a remarkable intergenerational celebration took place on King’s birthday at the Park Theatre and in our school district.
Promoted by the Jaffrey-Rindge MLK Celebration group, Dr. King’s legacy was honored through service and volunteerism. The intergenerational involvement of all ages characterized the tone of the entire MLK week in Jaffrey and Rindge, reflecting a bit of King’s dream of a “beloved community.”
Vocal performances and presentations from local students, including a chorus from the Dublin School and Franklin Pierce University leaders, were integrated with volunteers from the Monadnock Chorus.
As groups of all ages and backgrounds came together to celebrate, they demonstrated how joining together in service can transform individual lives and the lives of others. The MLK National Day of Service which encourages all Americans to volunteer to help others honors the life and legacy of King and improves our communities.
Whether it was a small or big act of kindness, service during this week by the Jaffrey-Rindge Rotary Interact students or Brownie-Girl Scouts or Conant teacher Morgan Baker and his cooking class had the power to unite people, build community and maybe even help heal divides.
Now in its fourth year, the Millipore-Sigma MLK Student Service Scholarship lifts up a powerful reminder of the importance of community service to the health of our communities. Two scholarships are awarded to graduates of the Jaffrey-Rindge School District who demonstrate exceptional contributions through volunteering.
At this time of year, with school and town budgets being reviewed, I wonder how we can sustain the sense of “beloved community.” Can we be influenced by the enthusiasm of the young volunteers from our public schools who served as ushers at the Park, helped with the free community supper in Jaffrey and worked for the common good in many other ways?
I interviewed some of those kids for their take on school support from voters and the importance of community service. Not surprisingly, the Scouts and Interactors had a significant list of projects for the common good, ranging from environmental cleanup, visiting nursing homes and making service trips to poverty areas, to food drives in Rindge and Jaffrey, and support of libraries, recreation departments and churches.
They had positive thoughts about the J-R District which included gratitude for bringing friends in both towns together through volunteering and classes. They felt enriched by opportunities to work side by side with older citizens through activities such as MLK .
When I consider the ramifications of a school budget deliberation, I need to remember what is intended by deliberation: careful, intentional, studied and thorough consideration.
Florisbeth Joseph, former associate director of the Office of Diversity & Inclusion at Franklin Pierce University, reminded us at the MLK Celebration of something powerful and simple: “Hope lives in community; community is not just comforting — it’s necessary.”
Thoughtful voters are encouraged to remember the critical contributions of our young people to our quality of life and help promote sustainable educational programs which will foster respect and mutual enrichment of all generations within the Jaffrey and Rindge communities.
Owen R. Houghton, Ed.D, lives in Jaffrey and is an aging wellness educator and retired
geriatric care manager. He is a parent of three Conant graduates and an advocate for
quality public education. Readers may contact him at nohoughton@myfairpoint.net