Politics & Government
A Guide to the MLK Day of Service 2012
There are a number of opportunities in the area to volunteer on Monday.
In honor of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, Montgomery County has organized numerous activities, events, lectures, seminars and concerts—many of which are taking place right here in Silver Spring—to give local residents a wealth of opportunities to honor Dr. King’s spirit through volunteerism.
“MLK Day is a great day for families, groups and individuals to get and find out what they can do,” said Katie Sayago, civic engagement specialist for the Montgomery County Volunteer Center. It is a great thing to do on the holiday, but we encourage people to use it as launching pad for doing things all year round.”
The will serve as the central location for the 2012 MLK Day of Service in Silver Spring, and Silver Spring’s Regional Center Director Reemberto Rodriguez is passionate about the annual event.
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“The MLK Day of Service is an opportunity for us in Silver Spring to affirm our community’s commitment to the great ideals expressed by MLK, Jr.,” said Rodriguez. “Martin would have been very proud of our Silver Spring - here he would see a snippet of his dream being realized.”
Silver Spring Civic Center
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When: Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, 12:30 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Gapbuster has planned a number of activities, appropriate for all ages:
Hands-on projects such as creating a Peace quilt and tapestry banner, making greeting/thank you cards for US Veterans and crafting dream catchers
Educational session and seminars, including Black History: Willie Lynch Project, HIV/AIDS 101 Trivia Game and Bullying and Cyber-Bullying Prevention
Social efforts like food and toy collections, and much more.
When: Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012, 1:30 p.m.
Celebrate the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a performance of the Peoples Congregational Church Choir of Silver Spring.
Call 301-587-0190 for more information.
When: Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012 - Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012
Manna Food Center has teamed up with Giant Food Stores to hold food drives at Montgomery County Giant Food Store locations. You can help! Shop at your local Giant Food store this weekend and donate non-perishable food items to help our restock the shelves at Manna.
Groups of three or more are invited to “adopt a store” to assist in the collection of food for the Manna Food Center, and SSL Hours are offered for students.
To register your group, email “volunteer@mannafood.org” and indicate GIANT FOOD DRIVE in the subject line. To donate non-perishable food, simply visit your local Giant Food store.
Write Letters to Service Personnel with WSSC
When: Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Visit WSSC’s Tech Road location and brighten the spirits of a member of the U.S. military overseas by writing them a letter. If you’re willing to donate your time, WSSC will supply the pens, paper and postage!
Children under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult. Call 301-206-8233 for more information.
Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
When: Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, until 4 p.m.
The Marriott will serve as the “home base” of Montgomery County Volunteer Center’s MLK Day of Service 2012. Projects include decorating cards for veterans, assembling PB&J sandwiches with Whole Foods for local shelters, constructing fleece blankets for Montgomery Hospice, packing Snow Day boxes for Meals on Wheels, and much more.
If you’d like to volunteer to be Event Staff for the 2012 MLK Day of Service, simply fill out the interest form.
At 4 p.m., the 2012 MLK Day of Service culminates with a tribute concert at the Music Center at Strathmore. Check the Music Center at Strathmore's website for ticket availability and more information.
