Joe Mertz Center hosts Service Emphasis Week
FOR RELEASE: Thursday, February 19, 2009
Huntington, Ind.-Huntington University's Joe Mertz Center for Volunteer Service hosted Service Emphasis Week, beginning Feb. 9 and running to Feb. 13. This annual event included guest speaker Leroy Barber, who spoke at each chapel, including the extra Wednesday morning chapels and workshops for students led by area community leaders. Barber has worked for the past 20 years to eradicate poverty and homelessness. He's spoken out against racism and promoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s idea of "the beloved community." He serves as president of Mission Year, which, according to the organization's Web site, is "a national urban initiative introducing 18-29 year-olds to missional and communal living in city centers for one year of their lives." Barber is also a contributing author to the book, "unChristian: What A New Generation Thinks About Christianity... and Why It Matters."
Founded in 1992, the Joe Mertz Center for Volunteer Service has become an integral part of Huntington University campus life. During the 2007-2008 academic year, students, faculty and staff volunteered for more than 12,900 hours, serving families, organizations and programs.
