The “Art” of Service: Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?”

The Hospital Center practices the art of service year round, but one way we will celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day this year is by supporting Wheatley Elementary School through donations of art supplies. Wheatley is located in our own neighborhood, Ward 5.

“Wheatley has been in the community for decades,” says Vincent Hunter, a business manager at Wheatley Elementary School.  “We are a pre-school through eighth grade campus with approximately 350 students. Our kids love to learn, and we are a strong presence in the community. Personally, one of my greatest joys stems from being a part of the team here that nurtures creativity, teaches critical thinking, and changes lives – even in the minutiae of the daily operations.”

Tying into this theme of art, we’re excited to host The Phillips Collection as part of our MLK Day celebration. They will present Jacob Lawrence’s The Migration of the Negro (Series) for our associates. Jacob Lawrence was a celebrated painter, storyteller and interpreter of the African-American experience. And fittingly, he was first exposed to art in an after-school program.

An Ongoing Commitment to Service

Donna Arbogast, the Hospital Center’s Vice President of Public Affairs & Marketing, says, “Serving our community is a continuous process. It requires building trust through service and through programs. Throughout the year, associates have been very generous with their time and monetary contributions, helping those in need. We at MedStar Washington Hospital Center are committed to being a good neighbor and a good resource to the communities we serve.”

At the Hospital Center, we strive to care for each person, beyond their medical needs.  We offer  support groups for patients with diabetes, cancer and other conditions, exercise classes,  a speaker’s bureau,  health and wellness seminars,  a reading program at Garrison Elementary School and the TAPP (Teen Alliance for Prepared Parenting) Program, to name a few.

How You Can Help

If you’d like to make a donation while visiting the Hospital Center, look for the decorated boxes labeled “Wheatley School” in the following areas through Friday, January 20^th:

• Cafeteria: Entrance from the ‘C’ corridor
• Nursing Office 1B33
• Physicians Office Building: Guest Services Desk, North Tower
• East Building: 7^th Floor Lobby

Suggested items include:

• Glue sticks
• Oil pastels
• Colored pencils
• Colored pencils (erasable)
• Cardstock (Astrobrights brand preferred)
• Crayons (jumbo size)
• Construction paper (size 12 x 18)
• Baby wipes
• Clorox wipes
• Modeling clay
• Copy paper (11 x 17)

For more information, please contact Khay Bullock Henry at 202-877-2084 or email WHCCommunityRelations@medstar.net.