MLK Center Community Day returns

On Saturday, N. Centre Avenue played host to what felt like a long-lost sight: a block party as The MLK Community Center hosted its annual Community Day after last year’s event was cancelled amid the pandemic. The 2021 Community Day marked the 20h anniversary for the event.

“This is one of the things that I wanted to see in place because there are other things like the St. Patrick’s Day Parade where they shut down the street, and I wanted that same type of vision for this Community Day,” Director Patrick Morris said. “We could have had it at the park because we have a nice park, but the park is hidden. I wanted to bring it to everyone so they could see what goes on.”

Inflatable amusements dotted the block, along with lawn games, and a spot for kids and parents to dance in front of the live DJ, which gave local youth a final sendoff to summer. Tables set up by the Rockville Centre Police Department, Project HOPE, Assemblywoman Judy Griffin and local parents provided attendees with gifts, trinkets and household items. Members of the Fire Department came by with their mini ice cream truck and provided free ice cream for the children as well.

“This is a chance to spotlight and showcase this community,” Morris said. “I just wanted to shine a light on all the good people and the good things on this side of town.” Morris added that the day acts as a sendoff to the summer and the center’s summer programs as the back to school initiatives kick off.

The RVC Friends of MLK helps to run some of the programs, including student-designed and painted clay masks from the center’s summer program, which were showcased in the center’s lobby during the day. Board member Iris Levin and board Secretary Jeanie O’Sullivan taught the program and lauded the children for being so creative and engaged despite the pandemic’s restrictions.

“The beauty of working with children is you put the materials out and they have a vision and they go with it,” Levin said. “It makes you just say, ‘Here is the future.’“

Emma Travers, president of the board for the Friends of MLK, said that her favorite part of Community Day is seeing the friendships that the groups have created with the community. “We can see everybody and reconnect with kids we’ve known for years,” Travers said. “It’s a real privilege to be able to come along and meet people and enjoy getting to know everyone.”

The group was formed in 2020, with their first meeting being cancelled right at the start of the shutdowns due to Covid-19. Now, the group is an official nonprofit, which raises money to help the center continue to provide programs.

The center also showed off its adult and teen programs, with dance companies from both age groups putting on a show for the crowd, with Morris even showing off his moves with the adult company, the Long Island Soul Sliders.

Throughout the day, Assistant Director Sharon Sheppard and members of the center’s staff cooked hot dogs and hamburgers for the large crowd. Sheppard is known in the community for providing food for others, as she runs Sharon’s Food Pantry, which provides meals and ingredients for families in need every Friday morning.

Sheppard has kept the pantry running even through a battle with cancer through the help of her sister Karen and Rockville Centre-based non-profit The Anti-Racism Project. Sheppard said what started as about 20 families has skyrocketed to more than 70 that line up outside the center each Friday for assistance. At one point, Sheppard said, they even serviced 90 families in a week during the pandemic.

Sheppard said her favorite part of the Community Day is “the community coming together and coming out and just fellowshipping together.”