Conant High School junior Ella Weinmann and graduate Megan Wheeler have been serving on the Jaffrey-Rindge MLK Committee this year, taking on responsibility for this year’s National Day of Service Project, a drive of welcome cards, household goods and cash and gift card donations to welcome and assist Afghan evacuees resettling in southern New Hampshire.
The drive collected more than 70 large boxes and 25 bags of housewares, linens, personal care items, cleaning supplies and more, along with more than $2,500 in cash and gift cards.
Wheeler was responsible for organizing, publicizing and conducting the drive in the community, and Weinmann was responsible for the collection at CHS-JRMS.
In addition to the Day of Service project, both Wheeler and Weinmann will be featured presenters at “Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.” on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Weinmann will deliver an interpretation of a passage in King’s own words from “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” and is also organizing volunteers from the Conant Interact Club to ring the United Church of Jaffrey’s bell as part of the National Bell-Ringing Ceremony, “Let Freedom Ring, Choose Non-Violence,” and to help out at the event.
Wheeler will present on the Day of Service drive and on workshops for fifth-graders on “How to be an Activist.”
“Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.” will be Monday, Jan. 17, from 5 to 6 p.m. at The Park Theatre or livestreaming on Facebook at MLK Celebration Jaffrey-Rindge. Admission is free, but reservations are encouraged at MLK Celebration Jaffrey-Rindge on Facebook. For information, send email to jaffreyrindgemlk@gmail.com.