MLK Service Day at Casa Guanajuato - CBS4 - WHBF Quad Cities, IL-IA News Weather Sports

MLK Service Day at Casa Guanajuato

By Natalie Zarowny
nzarowny@cbs4qc.com

Martin Luther King Junior once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others?"

Volunteers across the country answered that question today by helping a local organization.

In honor of Martin Luther King Junior's national day of service, volunteers from the Red Cross chapter of AmeriCorps came to non–profit Casa Guanajuato in Moline to lend a hand.

"I've been doing some stenciling, we're painting, whatever they need us to do, we're here," said Simone Reason of the AmeriCorps/Red Cross.

Simone Reason is part of a group of volunteers, helping to spruce up Casa Guanajuato's latest venture, a new fitness studio.

"Martin Luther King Junior Day is a day on, not a day off, people are encouraged to do community service, to do public service," said Beth Asbury of the AmericCorps/Red Cross.

AmeriCorps volunteers were looking for a local organization to help.

Casa Guanajuato, which is focused on bettering the Hispanic community, came to mind as an organization that embodies the virtues of equality Martin Luther King Junior stood for.

"We want to invite the Quad Cities population as a whole into our programs, our offices for advocacy, our bilingual pre–k," said Jeff Cornelius of Casa Guanajuato.

Casa Guanajuato staff said the Hispanic community faces similar struggles for equality to the ones Martin Luther King Junior stood up for years ago.

"He really was about being able to do those things on a peaceful level, build from the ground up, organize communities," said Cornelius.

For AmeriCorps volunteers, this was an experience that connected them to Martin Luther King Junior.

"Service transcends race and ethnicity, and anyone is able to help someone, anyone can be in a position where they need help," said Reason.