Baylor University Observes Martin Luther King Jr. Day with Community Events and Celebrations, Day of Service

No classes will be held and administrative offices will be closed on Monday, Jan. 15

Media contact: Baylor Media Communications, (254) 710- 1961
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WACO, Texas (Jan. 12, 2018) – Baylor University will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 15. A list of closures, activities and celebrations can be found below.

UNIVERSITY SCHEDULE
Baylor University administrative offices will be closed, and no classes will be held on Monday, Jan. 15.

The Mayborn Museum Complex will be open on MLK Day during normal hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Moody Memorial Library and Jesse H. Jones Library will be open from 1 to 10 p.m. Sunday and closed Monday. Armstrong Browning Library will be closed Sunday and Monday. The Texas Collection will be closed Saturday through Monday.

The McLane Student Life Center will be open from 1 p.m. Monday to midnight. The rock wall will close at 6 p.m. Monday. The pharmacy and health center both will be closed on Monday.
The Bill Daniel Student Center and the Wiethorn Visitors Center will be closed Monday.

Residence halls will remain open all weekend.

EVENTS AND CELEBRATIONS
FRIDAY, Jan. 12:
Annual Wreath Laying Ceremony: The annual wreath laying ceremony will take place at noon Friday in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park, 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., will bring greetings. For questions, contact Coque Gibson at 254-722-1272.

MLK Spaghetti Lunch: From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, the Waco NAACP chapter will host the MLK Spaghetti Lunch at St. Luke AME Church, 117 E. Church St. The event is come-and-go and tickets are $5, available in advance and on the day of the event. The purchase of a ticket includes a plate of homemade spaghetti, salad, garlic bread and a cookie. Email Waco NAACP or call 254-733-5261 for tickets or more information.

SATURDAY, Jan. 13:
Service Opportunity: Volunteers with Baylor Campus Kitchen will prepare lunches for MLK Day community garden volunteers. Shifts will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the kitchen of Penland Crossroads, 1110 S. Fifth St. Volunteers should register for the event in advance by emailing Rebecca Peirce.

MONDAY, Jan. 15:
MLK Day of Service: Baylor Campus Kitchen, Office of Community Engagement and Service and the Heart of Texas Urban Gardening Coalition will host the MLK Day of Service from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. At 9:30 a.m., site leaders will check in and pick up tools and supplies, and at 11 a.m., more than 200 volunteers from Baylor University and the Waco community will serve nine community garden sites throughout the city. In addition to its hosts, the event is sponsored by Aramark, Campus Diversity Committee, High Mowing and H-E-B. To learn more, contact the Office of Community Engagement and Service at 254-710-1736 or visit the volunteer information website.

Community Day: Mayborn Museum will host its Community Day with free admission from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday. Visitors can observe and take part in exhibits such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles™: Secrets of the Sewer, the Discovery Center, the natural history exhibits and the Gov. Bill and Vara Daniel Historic Village. The Mayborn Museum is located at 1300 S. University Parks Drive. To learn more about the event, visit the Mayborn Museum website.

Annual March and Wreath Laying: The Waco NAACP and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. will sponsor the annual march and wreath laying from 9 a.m. to noon at the Suspension Bridge, 101 N. University Parks Drive. The event is free. For more information contact Waco NAACP.

Mission Waco MLK Dramatic Reading: Mission Waco will host its dramatic reading at 9 a.m. at the Jubilee Theatre, 1319 N. 15th St. Contact Jimmy Dorrell for more information and registration or call 254-753-4900.
Mission Waco Soul Food Lunch and Discussion: The Mission Waco lunch and discussion will take place from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at World Cup Café and Fair Trade Market, 1319 N. 15th St. Contact Jimmy Dorrell for more information and registration or call 254-753-4900.

Annual MLK Candlelight Vigil: The annual MLK Candlelight Vigil will be held at 6 p.m. at MLK Park, 3516 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The event will feature Ms. Kerry Ann Frasier and KZ Frasier Drama Team. The keynote speaker will be the Rev. E. Shaun Williams. For additional information, call Coque Gibson at 254-722-1274.

Baylor Bears v. Oklahoma State: The Baylor men’s basketball team will play Oklahoma State at 8 p.m. Monday in the Ferrell Center, 1900 S. University Parks Drive.

Service Opportunities:
• Mission Waco community projects will take place around the community from 1:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. To register a group and find out locations, contact Mission Waco or 254-752-4900.
• Volunteer with the Urban Gardening Coalition MLK Day of Service: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at various gardens. Lunch will be provided. Contact Erin Payseur for more information.
• Volunteer for Alpha Kappa Alpha’s 110 Minutes of Service in the Park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at East Waco Park, 401 Hood St. To celebrate 110 years of sisterhood and service, the Delta Alpha Omega and Pi Mu chapters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority will provide food and fun to children of all ages at East Waco Park. For more information, contact Connie Powell.

TUESDAY, Jan. 16:
Neighbor Night: Baylor spirituality and public life and the Department of Multicultural Affairs will host the first Neighbor Night of the year to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Bobo Spiritual Life Center, 500 Speight Ave. Dinner will be provided for guests and the event is open to all Baylor students, staff and faculty. For more information, visit the Spiritual Life website.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 17:
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Luncheon and Dinner: Baylor’s Department of Multicultural Affairs will present its MLK celebration luncheon, “Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” from noon to 1:30 p.m. (by invitation only) and dinner from 6 to 8 p.m. on the fifth floor of the Cashion Academic Center, 1401 S. Fourth St. The evening event is free for all Baylor students, and dinner will be available for the first 200 students at the event. For more information, contact Diana Balderas at 254-710-6948.

by Brooke Battersby, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.