Finlandia students celebrate MLK Day

HANCOCK — Martin Luther King Jr. Day honors the man who had a dream that all people would be treated equally.

On the campus of Finlandia University, keynote speaker Nicole Newman of Washington D.C. urged everyone to commit to serving others beyond today’s celebration.

Self-described community builder and lover of people Nicole Newman said, “What is the one thing that this university wants to commit to seeing in their lifetime, or seeing as a result of their service work and how do they commit to that across years?”

Following the presentation, Finlandia students took part in the 2nd Annual MLK Day of Service, helping out several organizations throughout the community. One of those locations was the Salvation Army in Hancock, where students took down wallpaper and carried bags of food for a food drive and embracing the spirit of Dr. King.

Nursing student Patrick Prouty said, “He did a lot for this country. This country is facing tough times right now. We’re looking to the future and we need each other (more) than ever right now, so the more we can help each other, the better we will be.”

Over 100 students and faculty members volunteered at nearly 20 service sites.