Pitt-Bradford to mark MLK Jr. birthday

BRADFORD, PA – The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford will mark Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday Monday with service projects and a celebration in the Harriett B. Wick Chapel.

Pitt-Bradford will also close its administrative offices, and there will be no classes that day to commemorate King’s birthday. Offices will reopen and classes will resume Tuesday, Jan. 20.

As part of the celebration, students will be taking part in two service projects. From noon to 4 p.m., volunteers from the African-American Student Union and Gold Bar Club will go door to door in the Congress Street and School Street neighborhoods of Bradford to hand out fire safety packets from the American Red Cross.

Students also assembled the information for the SAFE (Smoke Alarm and Fire Education) packets, which will include free smoke alarm batteries.

“SAFE is designed to help reduce deaths, injuries and damages due to residential fires,” said Jason Bange, disaster program manager of the American Red Cross of Northwestern Pennsylvania. “We’re pleased to partner with student volunteers from Pitt-Bradford in honor of Martin Luther King Day to distribute this vital information to local Bradford residents.”

Also on Monday, members of the African-American Student Union, Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity and Theta Sigma Delta sorority will help sort, count and package hundreds of articles of donated clothing in preparation for the “Give a Thread” clothing drive – the University of Pittsburgh’s university-wide attempt at breaking the Guinness World Record for the most items of clothing donated.

At 7 p.m., the African-American Student Union and the Pitt-Bradford Office of Community Engagement will hold a “Dr. Martin Luther King Birthday Celebration” in the Harriett B. Wick Chapel. The program will include readings, poetry, music and refreshments following the program. The public is invited.