District of Columbia Residents Urged to Honor Dr. King

[Luke_Wilbur]

Volunteers and projects are being sought for the annual Martin Luther King Day of Service, to be held on the January 15, 2007 King federal holiday. The opening rally will be held at Howard University’s School of Business Auditorium at 9a.m. on January 15, 2007.

 

Participation in King Day of Service activities has grown steadily each year since Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act in 1994, calling on Americans to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of citizen action. Increasingly, the holiday is recognized as “a day ON, not a day OFF” for Americans volunteering in their communities. The holiday is a time to remember Dr. King’s commitment to making our nation better. Dr. King helped move our nation to a higher plateau when he led the civil rights movement. His legacy is found not only in civil rights, however, but also in civic responsibility and uniting people of all backgrounds to act on community concerns.

 

Dr. King’s legacy of public service is growing. Last year, service projects operated in all 50 states on his birthday. Some 1,200 projects across the country were registered through the King Day of Service Web site. Volunteers built homes, delivered meals, helped refurbish schools, read to children and engaged in a number of other civic activities. Increasingly, these projects are having sustainable community impact throughout the year.

 

David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, suggested that some people might use the day as a starting point for a yearlong resolution of service to their communities. All organizations or groups already planning to participate are encouraged to contact Serve DC. All registered projects will receive a free King Day of Service T-shirt.

 

Anyone or group interested in volunteering in or hosting a January 15 King Day of Service project should call (202)727-7925. The Washington DC Martin Luther King Day of Service is organized by Serve DC and supported by Corporation for National and Community Service, Points of Light Foundation, DC Public Schools, Howard University, and the DC Jewish Community Center. For more information, contact Dy Brown at (202)727-7931 or (202)494-5553.