While much of the campus was still asleep yesterday, about 150 students arrived at the William… While much of the campus was still asleep yesterday, about 150 students arrived at the William Pitt Union to participate in the Martin Luther King Day of Service. The National Society of Black Engineers and the Black Action Society organized the event, called “Dr. King Day of Service — A Day On, Not a Day Off.”

Though this is the event’s first year, organizers hope to make it an annual event, inviting more organizations to join as the event grows. The purpose of the event, which began around 10 a.m., is to “give back to the community … and teach and learn the ways of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life,” according to its website.

Oyinkansola Dina, community outreach chair of the Black Action Society, said that a day of service seemed fitting because King “served his entire life. We’re trying to relive his dream of serving people without asking for anything in return.”

Students had different reasons for volunteering.

“I felt like I shouldn’t be out shopping,” said Efe Oghoghome. “There was so much that he meant to the country … I just thought about that and felt like I should give something back.”

For CJ Jeter, the day off meant he had time to volunteer. “I just have a soft spot for community service. It is Martin Luther King Day, but I actually had time to actually give back.”

At 11 a.m., students took buses to volunteer at locations throughout the city. The Family Activity Center at the Allegheny County Jail was a main volunteer site. Visitors can wait for an hour before visiting someone at the jail, so families pass their time in its activity center. Twelve volunteers, including Dina, Jeter and Oghoghome, talked to children about King’s legacy and played with them while they waited. They also colored in pages that said, “I have a dream.” “It’s kind of like saying the dream has nothing to do with different colors,” Dina said.

Volunteers also worked at the Marion Manor nursing facility. At the Carnegie Library, volunteers packed books and stationery to be sent to other Pittsburgh libraries and facilities to promote children’s literacy. Many student volunteers stayed at the WPU. They wrote and illustrated stories, which Jumpstart — an organization to foster early childhood literacy — collected and will pass out to preschool-aged children. Volunteers also took the clothing they collected during a weeklong drive to the Salvation Army and the Children’s Home of Pittsburgh. Students finished working and returned to campus between 2 and 3 p.m.

The day of service is one of several events that honor King. The Black Action Society and Equipoise sponsored a Unity Brunch to bring together staff and students on Friday afternoon. Equipoise is a staff, student and faculty organization that advises Pitt’s administration on issues pertaining to African Americans and the University. On Friday night, the Heinz Memorial Chapel held an interfaith service in “Celebration of the Life and Legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”

Tonight, Dr. Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman to go into space, will speak in David Lawrence Hall at 8:45 p.m. Campus Women’s Organization will present “Honoring Women Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement” on Wednesday, and there will be a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Contest on Thursday.