Kali Robinson
Assistant Managing Editor
Cameron University students lined outside of Sheridan Elementary School at 9 a.m. on Jan. 20 to make their day off a “day on.” Although there were no classes, Aggies attended CU’s Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Day of Service to improve their community.
Zeak Naifeh, Director of Campus Life, said students started teaming up with Cameron Campus Ministries a number of years ago, but joined the nationwide Day of Service in 2008.
“It’s a tradition,” Naifeh said. “I think now there are so many organizations that [participate] every year; they just do it.”
Charles Tate, head custodian at Sheridan Road Elementary School, said he was happy to see volunteers. He said during the school year, most of the custodial staff’s time is taken up by basic tasks like vacuuming and taking out the garbage.
“These people are here to do things that we wouldn’t normally get to do until the summer time,” Tate said, “like wiping off all the desks, cleaning all the chairs, painting doors.”
Cameron University’s Day of Service lasted from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. In preparation for this Aggie tradition that has grown from 250 to over 500 volunteers since its start, Naifeh and Leslie Cothren, Student Activities Specialist, met with Lawton Public Schools to discover what schools needed more assistance than others.
For those who could not attend any of the elementary schools being painted and cleaned, comedian/speaker Dick Gregory discussed the importance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day at 2:30 p.m. in the McCasland Ballroom. This was followed by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Banquet in the Aggie Rec Center at 6:30 p.m.
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