Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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TTT71 1\ /TTA7^ THEY SAID IT ■-fl I 1 / I ■ W We must learn to live together a; Page 7 I 111] I I /% brothers or perish together as fools.’ Friday,January 14,2005 _L J_ | J JLt _L A-JL V have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its 'd: ‘We hold Lhs to he at ' -( MARTI NTUTHER KING Gospel Unity Fest, service events make school holiday “a day on, not a day off” By GABRIELLE SINCLAIR THE GAMECOCK This weekend more than 750 USC students will join the rest of the country in celebrating the 76th birthday and honoring the works of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. through volunteering and unity. Following the national theme, “Remember - Celebrate - Act: A Day On, Not a Day Off,” included among the weekend’s activities are a commemorative breakfast with speaker Patricia Sullivan, USC associate professor of history and African American Studies, a lecture at the USC School of Law, a day of service project transporting students to sites around the city and a celebratory Gospel Fest. Probably the biggest event of the three-day weekend will take place Monday with the eighth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. Coordinators, working with student groups around campus, have beaten last year’s record of about 550 students by about 200 people registered. Coordinators hope to have a free T-shirt for every volunteer who participates along with their breakfasts. The day of service begins at 9 a.m. with breakfast and a brief rally and slideshow. The rally will highlight parts of King’s life and beliefs and will end with a commission to service by USC President Andrew Sorensen. From there, the volunteers will be transported to their respective sites and eat lunch there. Students will regroup at 3:30 p.m. to discuss the day’s work. About 18 agencies from across Columbia, including the Salvation Army, Epworth Children’s Home, Easter Seals and several retirement homes, have agreed to receive the students. Felicia Walker, a third-year biology and chemistry student and co coordinator of the day of service, said the event was a way for students to give back to their community, whether they’re from Columbia or from out of state. “They may come from far away, but they still respect the area that they’re in. They want to help out. They want to give back,” Walker said. “Martin Luther King did say, ‘Everybody can be great if they just serve.’ I think they’re being great people.” Registration for the day of service continues through today, but Walker said people can show up on Monday at the Russell House to register between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. and will still have an opportunity to help. About 30 student life volunteers will assist in registration. Third-year media arts student and co-coordinator Randi Johnson said she hoped students will see the benefits of volunteering. “It’s just a necessary thing,” she said. “You have to take care of your community.” “Hopefully some of these people will want to continue volunteering with the agencies. The day is all about replicating and realization the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King.” Finishing up the day is the annual MLK Unity Fest featuring Doc McKenzie & The Gospel Hi-Lites. The show begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Koger Center. Several local gospel groups, including USC’s own Touch of Faith will perform. MLK day committee chairman Bobby Gist said the event brings in a lot of people from the community who may otherwise not have contact with the university. “The Gospel Fest is designed to bring people together across ethnic and gender lines,” Gist said. “It’s to bring people in from the greater community” through gospel music, a rallying cry during the civil rights era. “It’s a great way to culminate the life and legacy of Dr. King,” Gist said. “We want people to know that the University of South Carolina is a warm, inviting place and a place that appreciates diversity and the contributions of all Americans.” Tickets are $6 at the Carolina Coliseum Box Office. For more information, contact the USC Office of Equal Opportunity Programs at 777 3854. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the I. DeQuincy Newman Institute for Peace and Social Change. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc. edu MARY I^NCKNEY WATERS/THE GAMECOCK Singer-songwriter David Adedokun will bring his brand of melodic acoustic rock to New Brooklanri Tavern on Mondav nicht Former Courage Riley member finds his place in solo spotlight By SHANATILL THE GAMECOCK With only an acoustic guitar, singer songwriter David Adedokun is outfitted for a night of melodic rock. An equally important part of his arsenal, however, is his passion for songwriting. He combines the two for a sugary-sweet performance, without the risk of cavities. His headlining set will be at New Brookland Tavern Monday night. A former member of emo band Courage Riley, Adedokun will wait a bit longer before being accompanied by a band onstage. He began playing the guitar when he was a junior in high school and also began writing songs. This post-Courage Riley project is what Adedokun refers to as a “true return to form” for him. Other former members of the band went on to join electro-pop band Baumer with the lead singer from local favorite Tigerbot Hesh. In an acoustic set, Adedokun will n av r\f Inc npwpr cnnnc rh-it audiences have never heard. Adedokun said his favorite part of music production is writing the lyrics to each song. “I love music, but the biggest reason I’m involved with performing is because I enjoy writing the songs,” he said. To explain his approach to the songwriting process, Adedokun said he tries to go beyond simple stories about himself. “Most of my lyrics materialize from taking in everything I see around me. Friends, stuff I see in movies or read in books,” he said. Another technique of Adedokun’s involves an imaginative analogy with a junkyard. “My life is like a car, and my friends and everyone around me are other cars,” he said. “And I own a junkyard. So as a songwriter, I totaled my life, and I use the scrap metal of my car ami the rest of the junkyard to piece together new “My life is like a car, and my friends and everyone around me are other cars. And I own a junkyard. So as a songwriter, I totaled my life, and I use the scrap metal of my car and the rest of the junkyard to piece together new creations.” DAVID ADEDOKUN SOLO MUSICIAN Aside from his indie-rock roots, Adedokun attributes his myriad musical influences to working in a local record store. Proud of his more-than-800 CD collection, there is no doubt this job -1-1 . :-:__. wide range of music. A few of Adedokun’s favorite artists are Iron and Wine, Damien Rice, Joe Henr and Ryan Adams. Opening for Adedokun is One Amazin’ Kid and Michael Dresdon. Hailing from Charlotte, N.C., One Amazin’ Kid includes the former lead singer of popular punk-rock act Hopesfall. Adedokun said the two bands will be much louder than his performance, but they will blend well for a cohesive and harmonious experience. Adedokun also encouraged USC students to support local music. He said area college students are fortunate to be surrounded by such a blossoming music scene. Doors open at 8 p.m. Monday at New Brooldand Tavern. The show is all ages and costs $7. Comments on this story ? E-mail