The Alpha Kappa Alpha social/service sorority honored the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a Day of Service on Monday.

Vicki Robinson, target chair for the “Family Strong” event, said members of the Alpha Kappa Pi Omega Wiregrass Chapter of the national sorority wanted to honor King’s birthday in a special way and they could think of no segment of the population more special than its senior adults.

“We have hosted events at the Colley Senior Complex in Troy and wanted to do something special for the senior adults at the Robert E. Barr Nutrition Center in Brundidge as a way of honoring Dr. King,” Robinson said. “We filled donated ‘purses with service’ with a variety of items including hats, scarves, socks and gloves and packaged food. Each of the ladies got to pick one of the 50 purses that were filled with surprises. They had a good time picking out their purses and seeing what was inside.”

Robinson said the Day of Service was a way that the sorority sisters could give back to the community.

“We are a service-minded organization and have several target events and activities each year,” she said. “We offer programs including finance, wills and estate planning and health at schools, churches, clubs and organizations and senior centers. We want to be just like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We want to do things that make life better for others. That’s the reason we do what we do.”

The Day of Service was the part of the MLK Impact Day, which is an AKA national event.

“All chapters want to be just like him,” Robinson said.

Chapter members who participated in the Day of Service at the Brundidge nutrition center were, Robinson, Cynthia Ginyard, Vallanda Baker, Vanessa Johnson, Catherine Jordan and Dana Wilson.

Beulah Davis said that she, like all of the other senior ladies, had fun “shopping” for a new purse.

“I got a big blue one so, if I get invited somewhere, I can throw everything in my new purse and take off,” Davis said. “We all had a good time and thank the AKAs for thinking about us.”

Cynthia Pearson, Brundidge City Council member, District 4, thanked the AKA members for their community service and the senior adults for their participation at the Brundidge Nutrition Center.

“Our numbers here at the center are down and, if we don’t support the center, we could lose it,” Pearson said. “And, if we lose it, we might not be able to get it back.”

Pearson said the nutrition center is of great benefit to the community because it provides a place for seniors to go for food, fellowship, fun and learning opportunities.