A group of students from the Joliet Job Corps Center spent Monday giving back to the community in memory of the civil rights leader.

They were part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, an event that’s known locally as “A Day On Not A Day Off.”

Joliet Job Corps Center students Benjamin Brown, 20, Steve Brown, 21, and Erick Morales, 24, began the day at Joliet West High School, 401 N. Larkin Ave., Joliet. When they arrived with Business Community Liaison Stewart Warren, the students met with Congressman Bill Foster and talked to him about their studies and experiences at the Center. Then they head to the Span-ish Community Center, 309 N. Eastern Ave., Joliet.

The students immediately went to work. They removed ceiling tiles, painted, shredded documents and helped organize a large donation to the food pantry. Retired Joliet Police Officer Tony Jerisha, a member of the Spanish Center’s board, worked with them on some projects.

“It was an amazing day. We got to help out in the community,” Erick said, adding that he was honored to have met the congressman.

Perhaps most importantly, the group of students knew that they were doing the right thing on the right day.

“I felt that this is what Martin Luther King Jr. would have wanted for us to do today,” Steve said.

When they finished, Elizabeth Nevarez, the executive director of the Span

L to R: Erick Morales, Benjamin Brown, Congressman Bill Foster, Stewart Warren and Steve Brown.

L to R: Tony Jerisha hands a document to be shredded to Erick Morales.

ish Community Center, thanked them for their assistance. “They got so much done. Every job is important,” she said.