NEWS

Louisiana Tech University will celebrate Martin Luther King Day with a program from noon to 2 p.m. Monday in the Davison Athletic Complex.

The theme for the event will be “It Starts with Me: Cultivating a Beloved Community Mindset,” and it will feature a panel discussion, monologue tribute to Dr. King, a performance by the Sanctified Voices Choir, soul-food luncheon, and a clothing and food drive.

“Our goal is to create a beloved community and this will require a qualitative change in our souls as well as a quantitative change in our lives,” King said. This statement provides the theme for this year’s event.

“As we observe the 19th annual observance of the King holiday, we are excited to explore this thought of a beloved community with our panel of faculty, staff, and student representatives,” said Devonia Love-Vaughn, Louisiana Tech’s Dean of Inclusion Initiatives and Student Success. “The Bulldog Cultural Center and the Office of Inclusion Initiatives invites our Louisiana Tech and Lincoln Parish community to join us for a wonderful time reflecting on the life and legacy of Dr. King.”

The canned-food and clothing drive will benefit both Christian Community Action and Louisiana Tech’s Good Nutrition Mission Food Pantry. The organizations have said the following items are most needed:

• Coats for men, women, and children
• Sweaters
• Gloves
• Vegetable oil
• Jelly in plastic jars
• Tomato sauce
• Canned tomatoes
• Fruit cups
• Pancake mix
• Individual snack packs
• Peanut butter
• Rice and pasta sides
• Pancake syrup
• Reduced fat shelf stable milk
• Sweetened vanilla almond milk
• Individual variety cereal packs

The canned-food and clothing drive will run Jan. 16-20.  The drop off schedule is as follows:

• 16 – 10-11:30 a.m. – Davison Athletic Complex
• 17-20 – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day – Bulldog Cultural Center on the second floor of the Student Center

On-campus pickup for donations can be arranged with Ally Christian by calling 318.257.2302.