Hundreds gather to serve, honor King's legacy

NORFOLK

Third-grader Dream Gregory helps her father hand out bag lunches to the homeless on weekends.

Fourth-grader Bill Eley also likes working with the homeless and spending time with fellow Cub Scouts.

Dream and Bill were among more than 500 people who turned out for a morning of volunteer service Monday in honor of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Beth Lloyd, president and CEO of Volunteer Hampton Roads, said only about 300 people had registered for the event, held at Calvary Revival Church. Still they accommodated all who came, making this year's event the group's largest MLK gathering in 15 years, she said.

Participants included scouting units, boys and girls clubs, military members, church groups and members of a local motorcycle club.

"There are a lot of activities that honor Dr. King, but this one is really hands-on," Lloyd said. "I think people want to do something symbolic and help those less fortunate," especially during tough economic times.

The event featured a poetry reading and remarks from Manny Upton, the father of professional baseball players B.J. and Justin Upton.

The activities included inscribing donated children's books that will be distributed at local shelters, writing thank you letters to military members serving overseas, learning about conflict resolution and creating a mural that will be displayed at a local mall.

Before the activities began, Bill and Dream shared their winning essays about the value of community service. Reading their work to hundreds of listeners wasn't their only prize: Each student also received a $500 scholarship.

Bill is home-schooled, and Dream attends Norfolk's Fairlawn Elementary School.

Manny Upton, the father of two sons drafted into the major leagues out of high school in Chesapeake, focused on a lesser-known side of King.

The civil rights pioneer was a big baseball fan who forged a close relationship with Jackie Robinson, the first black man to play major league baseball, Upton said. After Robinson retired, he faced a choice: join the civil rights movement and possibly jeopardize his chances of getting into baseball's Hall of Fame, or stay on the sidelines to preserve his sporting legacy.

Robinson chose to get involved, Upton said, and "Martin Luther King was right there beside him."

A handful of members of the Thunderguards Motorcycle Club came out in support of the effort, proudly wearing denim riding vests decorated with red, white and black trim. Member Darris George said he wanted to share a message with youth about staying out of gangs. Two of his brothers died in gang violence in San Diego, he said.

"That's my big reason why I give back," George said. "The hardest thing is to say no. I don't know why, but that's the hardest thing."

Kate Wiltrout, (757) 446-2629, kate.wiltrout@pilotonline.com