By Kyle Roberts

RUSTON, La. — The best way to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is not to take a day off; rather, take a day “on.”

That’s exactly what members of the Bulldog Success Center did Monday with a community luncheon and will continue to do for the rest of the month with a food and supply drive for Louisiana Tech’s Food Pantry for students who may be experiencing food insecurity.

“The observance of Martin Luther King’s birthday is extremely important because it allows us a time of reflection, a time to take a look at our own community and see where we can make a change if a change can be made,” Louisiana Tech Dean of Cultural Engagement and Student Success Devonia Love-Vaugh said. “And it gives us the opportunity to fellowship with one another in a unified kind of way and send a unified message. We opened the luncheon to our community and get an opportunity to also do community service for today.

“We have a food drive that’s going to be going on until the end of the month, where we will feature raising food for our on-campus food pantry to address food insecurity for some of our students on campus. So each of us has the opportunity to give by coming back our offices to give throughout the rest of the month.”

After a meal that consisted of some of Dr. King’s favorite menu items, Pastor Robert E. Gaines, Sr., gave the keynote speech to nearly 100 people in attendance in the upstairs of the Davison Athletics Complex. The 2026 theme is “Mission Possible II: Building Community, Uniting a Nation the Nonviolent Way.”

The food and supply driving will continue throughout the remainder of the month of January, and items can be brought to the Bulldog Success Center located inside the Davison Athletics Complex.

Suggestions for donations include:

Peanut Butter Crackers

Cold Cereal (individual serving sizes)

Dried Lentils; dried beans and peas