LA PLUME — Keystone College’s Diversity Service Program in partnership with the Hop Bottom based My Brother’s Keeper Quilt Group hosted its yearly sleeping bag assembly project in the college’s campus center Monday.

The project, originally scheduled for Jan. 21 but rescheduled due to weather, honors Martin Luther by upholding his values and vision, according to Lucas Taylor, director of multicultural affairs and student activities at Keystone College.

“Martin Luther King always said he’d rather have a ‘day on’ rather than a ‘day off,’” Taylor said.

The project, in its seventh year, aims to honor that mentality by inviting students and the community to assemble sleeping bags for the homeless out of donated clothing items and textiles provided by My Brother’s Keeper.

The event ran from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Giant’s Den in the Hibbard Campus Center. According to Maria Fanning, Coordinator of Civic Engagement and Service Learning, about 100 students stopped by to help assemble the sleeping bags.

Fanning and a group of students will take the sleeping bags to a homeless shelter in Washington, D.C. on an upcoming service trip.

Fanning believes the upcoming cold weather will help the participating students and volunteers appreciate the service they provide through this project. “They start to think, ‘this is a very cold week — imagine if you were homeless, wouldn’t you be glad to have something to keep you warm?’” Fanning said. “I think a lot of times they start to appreciate what they do have.”

“This is part of the students’ education,” said Fran Calpin, Senior Director of College Relations. “Just like going to class or having an internship, they get a chance to think about how other people live and how they can help.”

Both Calpin and Fanning agree the volunteers themselves benefit from the service.

“I tell them it’s a win-win,” Fanning said. “You’re helping someone else but you’re also learning a little bit about sewing and a little bit about the homeless just by doing this.”

Senior Felicia Hallworth came to help and thought it was a worthwhile activity to do with friends.

“We’re helping people,” Hallworth said. “It’s important because there’s people out in the streets and it’s getting really cold with all the storms that are coming in.”

Hallworth became more interested in service projects after studying abroad in Ecuador and helping those in need there. “I think when you (do service) with people, you can better understand them,” she said.

Anyone interested in donating supplies or building sleeping bag kits may contact My Brother’s Keeper Quilt Group at 570-289-4335.

Keystone College student Gavin Rivera, of Scranton, sews a sleeping bag for the homeless during the college’s annual dervice event on Monday.
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_ABJ013019SleepingBags_1.jpg.optimal.jpgKeystone College student Gavin Rivera, of Scranton, sews a sleeping bag for the homeless during the college’s annual dervice event on Monday. Bill Tarutis | For Abington Journal

Keystone College students Devin Smith, of Carbondals, and Tabitha Lee, of Philadelphis, work on a sleeoing bag for the homeless.
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_ABJ013019SleepingBags_2.jpg.optimal.jpgKeystone College students Devin Smith, of Carbondals, and Tabitha Lee, of Philadelphis, work on a sleeoing bag for the homeless. Bill Tarutis | For Abington Journal

Keystone College Coordinator of Civic Engagement Maria Fanning, left, helps students Tristin Williams, of Albany, N.Y., and Felicia Hallworth, of Crofton, Md., with a sleeping bag.
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_ABJ013019SleepingBags_3.jpg.optimal.jpgKeystone College Coordinator of Civic Engagement Maria Fanning, left, helps students Tristin Williams, of Albany, N.Y., and Felicia Hallworth, of Crofton, Md., with a sleeping bag. Bill Tarutis | For Abington Journal

Keystone College alumna and event volunteer Amy May, of New Milford, right, helps students Nahjae Williams, of Philadelphia, and Lydia Bugelholl, of West Pittston, with a sleeping bag.
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_ABJ013019SleepingBags_4.jpg.optimal.jpgKeystone College alumna and event volunteer Amy May, of New Milford, right, helps students Nahjae Williams, of Philadelphia, and Lydia Bugelholl, of West Pittston, with a sleeping bag. Bill Tarutis | For Abington Journal

Keystone College Director of Multicultural Affairs and Student Activities Lucas Taylor directs students in assembling a sleeping bag Monday at the annual event helping the homeless.
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_ABJ013019SleepingBags_5.jpg.optimal.jpgKeystone College Director of Multicultural Affairs and Student Activities Lucas Taylor directs students in assembling a sleeping bag Monday at the annual event helping the homeless. Bill Tarutis | For Abington Journal
Keystone College students sew sleeping bags for homeless

By Connor Moffitt

cmoffitt@timesleader.com

Reach the Abington Journal newsroom at 570-587-1148 or by email at news@theabingtonjournal.com.