PERRYSBURG, Ohio — "A day on, not a day off."
It's one of the many sayings you'll hear on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, often called the MLK Day of Service.
While some local businesses were closed to observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day, one Perrysburg bookstore is using the holiday to help others in our community.
To honor the Civil Rights leader this holiday, Gathering Volumes bookstore owner Denise Phillips says she wanted to do something to serve others.
"I decided to make a quilt to donate to the YWCA domestic violence shelter and I shared that information and author Aya Kahlil, who wrote the Arabic Quilt, offered to donate one of her books with it," said Phillips.
But that's not all. She asked the community to take part and bring donations to the bookstore -- and they delivered.
The back of the bookstore's van has more than ten boxes already packed with donations that have been brought in through the last couple of days with everything from hygiene items to clothes and food.
"I think everyone is really looking for ways to help people out and right now, it's different. There are different ways than what we're used to doing," said Phillips.
She says our local organizations have been hit hard with the pandemic and the lack of people being able to volunteer. This was her way of stepping up to help.
Phillips says she's so thankful for the donations they received today and over the last week. They will be donating the items to the YMCA on Tuesday morning.