A Day of Action: Celebrating Martin Luther King in Racine

Volunteers at 905/903 Hamilton Street, where a crew demolished

a garage to make room for a new COP House.

Here's a few photos from MLK Day in Racine. The event drew 200 kids and 30 chaperones for a day of volunteering and workshops. The community celebration was created after Racine Unified agreed to give students the day off to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It was designed as an alternative to a just a "day off" of school for students.

Rebecca Brown, a sophomore at Horlick High School, organizes clothes at St. Vincent's de Paul. Brown said she volunteered to honor Dr. King. "It's a better way to honor his legacy," she said.

Edward Fitch, a junior at Horlick, Katie Husson, a student at UW-Parkside, and Rachael Morawicz, working at St. Vincent de Paul.

Volunteers at Ridgewood did arts and crafts with the residents.

They also performed manicures and played Wii.

Erica Montgomery, a junior at Case High School, does a resident's nails.

Brittany Harris, a sophomore at Case, helped a resident create a collage.

A group of 20 volunteers helped demolish the garage on Hamilton Street.

Volunteers cut the metal framing that's supporting the garage.

Another volunteer donated a bobcat to bulldoze the structure.

Dave Voss, who works at the Volunteer Center of Racine County,

organized the demolition of the garage.

Students built a snow family outside of the windows at the Becker-Shoop nursing home. The residents watched them build the snow sculptures, and then visited with the volunteers. (Above) Clare Thompson and Allison Dikanovic, both freshmen at Horlick High School, visit with a Becker-Shoop resident.

The snow family visible from a sitting room at Becker-Shoop.

Madison Azarian and Brianna Fehlberg, both freshmen at Horlick High School, volunteered at Becker-Shoop.

Volunteers gathered at Memorial Hall on Monday morning before heading

out to their volunteer assignments.