Martin Luther King Jr. was a legendary leader of the Civil Rights Movement. King’s famous method of retaliation, nonviolent protest, changed the game in the fight for equal rights. This inspirational man is honored each year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This year, to celebrate this day, Saint Leo University gave back to the community by hosting a free fair for the local children. This children’s fair was held on the Student Activities Green from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Many families came to enjoy the event, filling the heart of campus with laughing children. One parent, Nicole Angeli, heard of the event a couple of years ago through her husband, who is a Saint Leo University faculty member. She brought their three children who loved the event so much in the past that they returned this year to experience it all over again.
Student volunteers ran different activities for the children such as arts and crafts, bouncy houses, inflatable slides, and more.
Spread throughout the fair were different food stands that provided a variety of complimentary refreshments. These snacks were wildly popular, and students and families alike waited in line to try the chocolate or caramel dipped frozen bananas, flavored soft pretzels, tropical slushies, and ice-cream.
Next to the food stands were tables set up by different Greek organizations. These sororities and fraternities donated their time to provide various Martin Luther King Jr. themed games and activities for fair attendees.
Heather Kealhofer from the sorority Alpha Sigma Tau explained that their organization’s activity had, “the children write their dream on a traced piece of paper that will be cut into the shape of their hand.”
At the end of the fair, all of the paper hands were stapled together into a chain that hung across the green. Emma De Rhodo, another AST member, commented that the purpose of the chain was, “so that we can achieve our dreams together!”
At another table, organized by the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity, was an informational quiz that taught kids interesting facts about Martin Luther King Jr. Colorful beaded necklaces were given as prizes to children who answered correctly.
The children’s fair was a successful event that gave the university and its students an opportunity to give back to the local community.
