Civil rights icon Opal Lee celebrated her 96th birthday Friday, and she marked the occasion by getting back to work with a day of service for her birthday weekend.
Some worked at Opals Farm, the urban farm named in her honor.Others volunteered at the Community Food Bank or dropped off items. "I’m just blown away as the children would say. There's so much we can do and we're going to keep doing it. And I'm going to keep walking and keep talking until we get some of it done," Lee said.
"This month is preparation for the food bank for Thanksgiving, but as we all know, since COVID has come about, there's been an increase need for food and food pantries," said Rev. Karen Harris, who is executive coordinator for Community Food Bank.'One of the greatest honors': Opal Lee celebrates Nobel Peace Prize nomination despite not winning award
Lee's birthday weekend started Friday with friends and family gathering to watch the Nobel Peace Prize announcement. She was a nominee for her lifetime of work for equality and the drive to make Juneteenth a national holiday.