“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’”

This message by Civil Rights Activist Dr. Martin Luther King is one of his most well-known. It was also printed on several dozen shirts worn by Longwood University students, faculty and community members during the annual MLK Service Challenge, held Monday.

To view more photos of the event, click here.

The quote, attributed to a address King gave in Montgomery, Alabama in 1957, is the driving force behind the event, which has taken place for several years at the campus.

Approximately 100 Longwood University students, faculty and members of the community took part in the challenge Monday. Participants volunteered at FACES Food Pantry, Southside Family YMCA, High Bridge Trail State Park and Farmville Area Habitat for Humanity among other places.

Assistant Director of Community Learning & Engagement Quincy Goodine designed the shirts students wore, which included a portrait of King on the front.

“I love it,” Goodine said about the event Monday, as he and several others braced the cold weather to clear litter and debris from the High Bridge Trail State Park.

According to the university website, the event is meant for students and faculty to have a “day on” instead of a day off, dedicating time to serving the community.

Students and faculty served in groups, with some serving until 12:30 p.m., while others volunteered until later in the day.

Goodine said the event is meant to continue King’s legacy of selflessness and of service to one’s community.

The event is particularly meaningful in the Farmville area.

Goodine cited Prince Edward County’s civil rights history, the student march led by Robert Russa Moton High School student Barbara Rose Johns that created the path for educational integration of public schools, as a reason for the event.

During the event, Goodine says participants “Take pride in this community. Serve this community.”

Longwood student Javier Sydnor said King’s message to serve others compelled him to participate in the event for the second time this year, “to give a helping hand to everyone who needs it,” Sydnor said.

Sydnor said he lives in the Farmville area for nine months out of the year as a student, and said Monday gave him and other students a chance to give back.

Student Emily Mothersbaugh said she was inspired by King’s message of uniting in place of going it alone to serve others.

“If everyone came together, we can make change,” Mothersbaugh said.

Several students spent Monday morning at FACES Food Pantry. They cleaned cans, organized canned, bagged and boxed foods, and swept the floors.

FACES representative Sheila Hite said the food pantry experienced three floodings in 2018, including one from Hurricane Michael that left the pantry with 12 inches of water, and a flood in May that resulted in approximately 24 inches.

Hite turned to address the students.

“Thank you!” she said as students responded.

“Without volunteers, FACES could not run,” Hite said.

Goodine noted several public events happening throughout the week to honor King.

On Wednesday, the Moton Museum is hosting a community policing panel that will feature Prince Edward Commonwealth’s Attorney Megan Clark, Longwood Chief of Police Robert Beach, Farmville Police Chief Andy Ellington and Attorney Khalil Latif. The panel is set to take place at 6 p.m.

A leadership workshop is taking place Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Maugans Alumni Center Virginia Room at Longwood that focuses on transforming passion into action. Participants are encouraged to bring a lunch.

Longwood is also hosting an Open-Mic Cabaret at the Upchurch University Center Friday, 7 p.m. at the first-floor lounge stage. Headliner poet Sha’Condria “iCon” Sibley is set to perform alongside students.

On Saturday, a viewing of the film “BlacKkKlansman” is set to be held at 5 p.m. at the Upchurch University Center Soza Ballroom. The film is about Ron Stallworth, an African-American police officer who infiltrates the local Ku Klux Klan branch.