The groups' goal is to provide a pair of mittens or gloves for every child currently in foster care throughout the Southeast Missouri service region.

"We chose to collect these items as a symbolic representation of Dr. King's famous 'I Have a Dream' speech and, in particular, the passage 'I have a dream that one day . . . little black boys and girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and girls and walk together as sisters and brothers,'" said Gretchen Weber, assistant director for student involvement at Southeast. "As a planning committee, we felt it was extremely important to do more than just remember Dr. King on January 20 at the breakfast, so we are trying to follow his example by providing a way for each individual, regardless of race, creed, color, religion, or financial means, to make a small difference for our community.

Individuals can drop donations at one of the following locations: the University Center Information Desk, the Student Recreation Center, residence hall lobbies, Academic Hall by the elevator, outside the Regional Professional Development Center offices in the Scully Building, the Cape Girardeau Civic Center, and at participating area churches. Organizations also may collect items and then call the University Center at (573) 651-2280 between Jan. 15-17, and a member of NPHC will pick up the items for display at the breakfast on Jan. 20. Individuals or groups also may bring the items with them to the breakfast. Following the breakfast, members of the M.L.K. Jr. Celebration Planning Committee will work with the Department of Child and Family Services and area shelters to make sure the items get distributed. Participating organizations will be recognized at the breakfast, and all items will be displayed there, Weber said.

For more information regarding this project, please contact Weber at the University Center at (573) 651-2280. For tickets to the breakfast or other information regarding M.L.K. Celebration events, please call the Dean of Students office at (573) 651-2263.