On Monday, IU and the Bloomington community has a multitude of events, ranging from featured speakers to volunteering opportunities.Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a day on, not a day off, according to the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs' events website.
Girls Inc. is organizing a day camp from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Girls Inc. of Monroe County, located at 1108 W. Eighth St. There, the organization will put together purses filled with food and hygiene products for the Dignity Project, a charity providing aid for women experiencing homelessness. They are also accepting donations of old purses and hygiene products including shampoo, toothbrushes and deodorant. Contact program director Rebecca Scott to sign up to volunteer or to donate.
The Bloomington Salvation Army, Bloomington Lions Club and the IU School of Optometry will provide free vision screenings for low-income residents from 8:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. at the Atwater Eye Care Center at 744 E. Third St. Space is limited. Appointments must be reserved by calling the Salvation Army at 812-336-4310.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Celebration of Scientists
There are a variety of hands-on activities from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Wonderlab Museum at 308 W. Fourth St. The activities include building a battery and discovering how rocks turn into soil. Multiple scientists, such as an epidemiologist and an engineer, will teach about their fields. All activities are free with the $9 admissionfor nonmembers of the museum.
MLK Community Teach-in for Middle & High School Students
Middle and high school students can spend part of their day off from noon to 2 p.m. in the atrium of the Wendell W. Wright Education Building discussing Martin Luther King Jr. Day and related social issues. Lunch will be included with pizza served at noon. A release form must be completed for minors not accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The Bloomington Peace Choir will perform six songs beginning at 12:05 p.m. in the atrium of the Monroe Country Public Library. The group is a non-auditioned choir with singers of all skill levels, according to it'sFacebook page.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day March
The Gamma Eta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha and Luddy Living-Learning Center are sponsoring a peaceful march in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that begins at 1 p.m. at City Hall, located at 401 N. Morton St. The march will end at the Indiana Memorial Union.
O’Neill Volunteering at Hoosier Hills Food Bank
The O'Neill Service Society will volunteer at Hoosier Hills Food Bank from 1-2:30 p.m. packaging food to deliver to those in need. The food bank services Brown, Lawrence, Orange, Owen, Martin and Monroe counties. The food bank is located at 2333 W. Industrial Park Drive. Space is limited and registration is required.
The Monroe County Youth Council invites people to participate in a youth-led event focused on activism from 1-4 p.m. at the Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington at 311 S. Lincoln St. Teens will give presentations concerning social issues such as women’s health, the environment and accessibility to the arts. Discussions on each topic will follow.
Actress and producer Viola Davis will speak at 4 p.m. at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Davis is part of the IU Bicentennial speaker series but will also talk about Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Tickets are sold out, but a standby line will begin at 2 p.m. outside the south lobby. Admission is free.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration
The City of Bloomington is presenting a variety of events from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. There will be a reception catered by Board + Blade at 6 p.m. The program begins at 7 p.m. and will feature a keynote speech by Melina Abdullah and performances by the Indiana University African American Choral Ensemble, the Fairview Elementary School Choir and the Jacobs School of Music ballet department.
