Athletics Staff, Student-Athletes Volunteer on MLK Day

LUBBOCK, Texas - The J.T. & Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy hosted its first day of service in honor of Martin Luther King Jr Day this past Monday.

Texas Tech staff and student-athletes came together to decorate and stuff duffle bags for youth in foster care in Lubbock. MLK Day is the only federal holiday that is designated as a day of service to give back to the community.

"By doing this day of service, we are honoring Martin Luther King Jr's legacy in that the importance of today is that it is a day on, not a day off to help improve our community," said Jessica Gray, Assistant Athletics Director of the J.T. & Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy.

Partnering with Together We Rise, a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming the way kids experience the foster care system, Texas Tech staff and student-athletes came together to decorate 50 duffle bags for local youth who are in the foster care system in Lubbock.

Each duffle bag is decorated with a positive message or image and then filled with the following items: teddy bear, blanket, hygiene kit, crayons and a coloring book.

"Being able to have the opportunity to serve our Lubbock community is always an honor," said Michelle Detwiler, a graduate assistant in the Talkington Leadership Academy. "We always look forward to having these opportunities to come together as a department to give back to the Lubbock community. We hope that these duffle bags can create a positive impact on the youth in the foster care system in Lubbock."

All duffle bags were donated to Buckner Children & Family Services in Lubbock.

Athletics Staff, Student-Athletes Volunteer on MLK Day

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