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For the 2018 MLK Challenge, Appalachian students sort donations at Ram’s Rack Thrift Shop, a nonprofit organization in Boone. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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As part of their 2018 MLK Challenge, two Appalachian students organize donations at Ram’s Rack Thrift Shop in Boone. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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An Appalachian student sorts through items donated to Ram’s Rack Thrift Shop. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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Students organize books and children’s toys at Ram’s Rack Thrift Shop in Boone as part of the 2018 MLK Challenge. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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An Appalachian student participating in the 2018 MLK Challenge serves by mopping the floor of F.A.R.M. Cafe, a nonprofit, pay-what-you-can restaurant in downtown Boone. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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Abby Goecker, a full-time employee in Appalachian's Department of Student Engagement and Leadership, cleans countertops at F.A.R.M. Cafe, a nonprofit, pay-what-you-can restaurant in downtown Boone, as part of the 2018 MLK Challenge. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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A student volunteer participates in Appalachian’s 2018 MLK Challenge by cleaning shelving at F.A.R.M. Cafe, a nonprofit, pay-what-you-can restaurant in downtown Boone. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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As part of the 2018 MLK Challenge, two Appalachian students help remove wood and other materials from the basement of Boone-based Wine to Water, a nonprofit dedicated to providing clean drinking water to communities around the world. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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Two student volunteers remove materials from the basement of nonprofit Wine to Water as part of Appalachian’s 2018 MLK Challenge. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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Appalachian students volunteer in the 2018 MLK Challenge by clearing away debris and leaves at Boone-based nonprofit Wine to Water. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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Participants in Appalachian’s 2018 MLK Challenge clean the interior of Boone-based Wine to Water, a nonprofit dedicated to providing clean drinking water to communities around the world. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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An Appalachian student volunteering in the 2018 MLK Challenge cleans countertops inside Wine to Water. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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Two Appalachian students participate in the 2018 MLK Challenge by cleaning glass and dusting wood trim at Boone-based nonprofit Wine to Water. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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Appalachian’s 2018 MLK Challenge honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — more than 200 participate

Story by Jessica Stump
Photos by Chase Reynolds
Posted Jan. 25, 2018 at 10:32 a.m.

“Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

BOONE, N.C. — A call to service was answered Saturday, Jan. 20, by nearly 250 students, faculty, staff and alumni who helped clean, organize, paint, repair, sort and more as part of Appalachian State University’s MLK Challenge.

The annual event, now in its 19th year, is organized by Appalachian and the Community Together (ACT), whose mission is to cultivate responsible citizenship through education and action. The day of service, reflection and education celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The challenge kicked off at 8 a.m. in Plemmons Student Union, where participants were divided into teams and assigned a site leader — an Appalachian faculty or staff member — before receiving a service challenge to be completed for a local organization by day’s end.

Longtime partners of Appalachian’s MLK Challenge include the Hospitality House of Boone, Western Youth Network, F.A.R.M. Cafe, the Children’s Council of Watauga, The Children’s Playhouse, Kids with Autism Making Progress in Nature (KAMPN), Mountain Alliance, Blue Ridge Conservancy, Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture, Appalachian Voices, Joy Cove Group Home, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Habitat for Humanity, Hunger and Health Coalition, W.A.M.Y. Community Action and many others.

During last year’s challenge, 200 Appalachian students gave a total of 1,200 combined hours of service — or the monetary equivalent of $28,272 — to 23 local charitable organizations. Additionally, students raised donations of over $450 for the Junaluska Heritage Association and collected more than 1,400 diapers for the Children’s Council of Watauga by completing bonus challenges.

ACT has facilitated students in providing more than $22.5 million of value to the community over the past 10 years — more than 1.1 million hours of service using the $24.24 per hour national standard for volunteer time, plus nearly $631,500 in funds raised.

Appalachian’s 2017 MLK Challenge engages 200 students, helps 23 local charitable organizations
Appalachian’s 2017 MLK Challenge engages 200 students, helps 23 local charitable organizations
Jan. 30, 2017

Appalachian students give over 1,200 combined hours of local community service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King’s life and legacy.

Read the story

About Appalachian and the Community Together (ACT)

Appalachian and the Community Together (ACT) provides service experiences as opportunities to connect and engage with others to build authentic relationships, stimulate critical thinking and skill building, and recognize individual impact and responsibility to the local and global community. Between the 2004–05 and 2017–18 academic years, over $25 million of value has been contributed to the community via Appalachian State University's Appalachian and the Community Together (ACT) program (over 1.91 million hours of service plus $699,786 in funds raised) using the $24.14 per hour national standard for volunteer time. ACT partners with over 160 local nonprofits. Initiatives include blood drives, hunger and homeless awareness events, fundraising for local charities and alternative service experiences. Learn more at https://act.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

Appalachian State University, in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The transformational Appalachian experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and embrace diversity and difference. As one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, Appalachian enrolls more than 19,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.

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Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

The migration of materials from other sites is still incomplete, so if you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • University media releases published prior to Jan. 1, 2015
  • Additional feature stories may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Photo galleries and videos published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian

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Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

The migration of materials from other sites is still incomplete, so if you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • University media releases published prior to Jan. 1, 2015
  • Additional feature stories may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Photo galleries and videos published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian
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