Photo By Petty Officer 3rd Class Allison Ryan | PORTSMOUTH, Va. (Jan. 23, 2020) – Lt. Cmdr. Vernon Mackie, chair of Naval Medical...... read more read more
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (Jan. 23, 2020) – In 1957, Martin Luther King Jr. stated “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” Those words were taken to heart and quite literally by Naval Medical Center Portsmouth’s (NMCP) Diversity Committee, when they volunteered their time to the Oasis Social Ministry in Portsmouth, Va. on Jan. 23, giving back to those in need.
Lt. Cmdr. Vernon Mackie, chair of NMCP’s Diversity Committee, believes that MLK Day is not just a holiday, but an opportunity to use free time to do something good for others.
“Typically, it’s not a day off of work, it is a day to help your community,” Mackie said. “We’re here at the Oasis Social Ministry Soup Kitchen to serve food for the homeless, as well as donate clothes. It is our command’s opportunity to help enrich those in need.”
Volunteering at the Oasis soup kitchen was an effort to positively give back to the community of Portsmouth.
“The people who live in Portsmouth know that NMCP hospital is right down the street,” Mackie said. “It’s nice for them to see us in our uniform, donating food and clothes to let them know that we care.”
Capt. Lisa Mulligan, NMCP’s commanding officer, was happy to see the turnout and very impressed with the people who work at the soup kitchen full time and those who volunteered.
“It’s great to be here, and I think it’s good for Sailors to participate and integrate in the Portsmouth community,” Mulligan said. “Helping those in a tough spot by providing and donating food and clothes is extremely rewarding.”
Many of the volunteers from NMCP have been participating for a number of years at the soup kitchen for MLK Day. Volunteers, such as Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Kenya Thomas, assigned to NMCP’s Pediatrics Clinic, are passionate about MLK’s legacy and putting his words to action.
“Today we are celebrating who Martin Luther King Jr. was and what he was about; social gestures and equal rights, while serving the community,” Thomas said. “Personally, I enjoy serving while honoring Martin Luther King Jr.”
NMCP had volunteers from departments all over the medical center. The group consisted of Sailors, civilians, and senior leadership at the Day of Service, where everybody enjoyed Chick-fil-a sandwiches, stew and desserts.
“We can only bring 20 people to volunteer, and the spots filled up the first day,” Mackie said. “It was so nice to see our command trying to help out. At the hospital, we take care of people and this is a different method of doing it. People are very appreciative when they see us in our uniform. They are happy to see us and it makes you feel good to help out.”
As the U. S. Navy's oldest, continuously-operating military treatment facility since 1830, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth proudly serves past and present military members and their families. The nationally acclaimed, state of the art medical center, including its ten branch and TRICARE Prime clinics, serves the Hampton Roads area. Additionally, NMCP offers premier research and teaching programs designed to prepare new doctors, nurses and hospital corpsmen for future roles in healing and wellness.
| Date Taken: | 01.23.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 01.24.2020 16:26 |
| Story ID: | 360312 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 95 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NMCP Volunteers at Soup Kitchen for MLK Day, by PO3 Allison Ryan, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
