Mariana Luna-Martinez still recalls vividly when, as a small child, she and her family lost all of their belongings in a fire, as did everyone else who lived in their apartment building. She also recalls how the community rallied around her family and helped them get back on their feet.<\/p>\n
Luna-Martinez, now a junior Biology major at Montclair and a Bonner Leader, learned from her parents the importance of community service from a young age, so not surprisingly, this was her third year to volunteer for the University\u2019s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. \u201cWe always made sure we helped other people,\u201d she says. \u201cThose lessons and being brought up like that \u2013 that you volunteer not just specific days but every day\u2026. It\u2019s just those things that make me realize that MLK\u2019s message is more than just going to help out for two to three hours.\u201d<\/p>\n
She and more than 230 Montclair students and alumni answered the call to give back, participating in Montclair\u2019s MLK Day of Service on January 16 in a big way. Students gathered at University Hall for breakfast and to reflect on the words and messages of the slain civil rights leader before being deployed to various locations both on and off campus \u2013 in Montclair and the surrounding area \u2013 for their volunteer assignments, which included everything from making blankets and sandwiches for shelters to distributing fire safety information with the Montclair Fire Department.<\/p>\n
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