Harvey Miller Day of Service set for Nov. 5

The second annual Harvey Miller Day of Service is set for Saturday, Nov. 5.

The Dunbar Heritage Association will host the event in collaboration with Keep San Marcos Beautiful and the Hays County Food Bank. This year’s Harvey Miller Day of Service (HMDOS) will feature a clean up of the Dunbar neighborhood as well as a food drive. DHA said light refreshments will be served at the Cephas House following the clean up.

Harvey Miller, “The Good-Lookin’ Fella,’’ dedicated 54 years of his life in service to the San Marcos community. He was the first parks director for the Dunbar Recreation Center and was known for collecting and recycling cans in City Park. He was the 2008 recipient of the “Spirit of San Marcos Award,” and named “Outstanding Senior Volunteer’’ by The San Marcos Senior Citizen Advisory Board in 2019. In recognition of his life-long commitment to service, DHA hosts an annual day of service to invite the city to be active participants in the community in which they live.

The inaugural Harvey Miller Day of Service last year brought residents from around the San Marcos community, including a large number of students from Texas State University Athletics, city council members, Texas State University faculty, and dozens of local residents.

The Hays County Food Bank is preparing for the upcoming holiday season as well as the regular demand for donations to help provide the needs of residents of Hays County.  To help the food bank stock its shelves, it asks for the specific items below.

FOOD NEEDS: SHELF-STABLE FOOD

• Must be unopened and have an intact label.
• Must list ingredients.
• Some expired items are accepted.
• Expired baby food, formula, and adult nutrition drinks cannot be accepted.

WISH LIST

• Canned meats (tuna, salmon, ravioli, chili)
• Canned fruits and vegetables
• Canned tomato products (diced tomatoes, Rotel, sauce, paste)
• Soups
• Peanut butter and jelly
• Pasta and pasta sauces
• Macaroni and cheese
• Shelf-stable milk
• Cereal
• Granola bars
• Trail Mix
• Pancake Mix
• Oatmeal
• Applesauce
• Fruit cups
• Bottled water
• Rice and beans

The Dunbar Heritage Association was organized in 1999 by Miller. DHA was established as a charitable organization to ensure the continuance of the three cornerstones of black culture that he had dedicated himself to building for more than four decades. In 2014 he and the Dunbar Heritage Association received a SMART Award from the SM Arts Commission.

DHA’s mission is the cultural preservation of  the historically black Dunbar neighborhood through social practices, traditions, rituals, knowledge, spiritual beliefs, language, and artistic expression.

DHA says it accomplishes its mission by: “Celebrating our traditions by hosting the annual Martin Luther King Jr. March and Celebration, Black History Month, and Juneteenth Celebrations which honor our heritage. Advocating for the beautification and revitalization of the Dunbar Cultural Historic District. This includes bringing awareness to the cultural and historical contributions made by members of the black community (past and present) in the City of San Marcos. Educating our community by providing a forum for people interested in learning about and preserving black culture through educational workshops, seminars, and communal events.

The second annual Harvey Miller Day of Service will take place Saturday, Nov. 5 Above, Harvey Miller who was known for collecting and recycling cans in City Park. Photo courtesy of Dunbar Heritage Association

Harvey Miller Day of Service takes place on Nov. 5 between 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Clean up begins at Eddie Durham Park. Non-perishable food donations can be dropped off between 9-11 a.m. at Eddie Durham Park. Register to Volunteer (or just show up): https://forms.gle/ffyfo1GwcWtc1CqV6.

Information provided by Dunbar Heritage Association