1/12/2010 10:00:00 PM
Local Martin Luther King Day events focus on volunteerism
| |
|
The Daily Courier
The Yavapai County VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) MLK Project, in association with Service For Peace, will host its 3rd annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service event on Monday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Prescott United Methodist Church.
The event is open to people of all ages to come together in common purpose and engage in meaningful service and volunteerism in recognition of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The day will feature volunteer and service opportunities with local organizations, a keynote speaker who will highlight the life and legacy of Dr. King, and a Volunteer Opportunity Fair where attendees can visit with leaders of local organizations and sign up to volunteer throughout the year.
Service projects include Watson Woods Preserve clean-up with Prescott Creeks; "Big for a Day" with Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters; groundskeeping with Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary; bike lane maintenance and pedestrian walkway assessments with Prescott Alternative Transportation; and other opportunities with Goodwill Industries, Disabled American Veterans, City of Prescott Parks and Recreation, and the Prescott Area Women's Shelter.
The event will provide free refreshments and snacks.
Initiated by Congress in 1994, the MLK Day of Service builds upon Dr. King's legacy of service through transforming the federal holiday honoring Dr. King into a national day of community service. The aim is to make the holiday a day on which people of all ages and backgrounds come together to bridge social barriers, meet community needs and improve lives.
The Yavapai County VISTA Project (YCVP), headquartered out of Youth Count and Prescott College, helps build and sustain the efforts of Yavapai County service providers through national service partnerships. Supported by the Corporation for National and Community Service, YCVP provides full-time AmeriCorps VISTA members to nonprofit, faith-based and other community organizations and public agencies to create and expand programs that ultimately bring low-income individuals and communities out of poverty. Noted partners in Yavapai County include the Prescott Area Women's Shelter, Yavapai College, City of Prescott, US Vets, Prescott College, Habitat for Humanity, Humboldt Unified Schools and the City of Cottonwood.
Participants are encouraged to register for their preferred service project in advance on YCVP's website, www.ycvp.org.
The Prescott United Methodist Church is located at 505 W. Gurley St. in Prescott.
|
Posted: Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Article comment by:
Believer in the Spirit of Service
Over 400 people participated at the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service event, resulting in outstanding community participation. Trippetta & Speedy, it is too bad you weren’t there to see all the hard work, effort and true spirit of togetherness that happened on Monday. Your pessimistic outlooks on the day’s event have no affect on the people who DO believe in the power of change... even for one day. I know that the event changed the way I view MLK Day and I am very grateful for that. I absolutely believe in the power of change and I know I will never stop trying to do something to make a positive change the world. I think that helping, even just for one day of service, truly does make a difference. I am very proud of everyone who showed up to make it “A day on, not a day off” and I hope they were inspired to begin or continue volunteering and show a spirit of service. Many agencies in the area need help daily to provide assistance to people in need and every little bit helps! I hope that next year you will join your community members to see what the spirit of service is all about.
Posted: Thursday, January 14, 2010
Article comment by:
No name provided
Is this the Methodist Church closest to the library or the one by Sharlot Hall Museum?Site Administrator's Note - The West Gurley address would put it near Sharlot Hall.
Posted: Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Article comment by:
trippetta
Sure, that will initiate change.
Posted: Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Article comment by:
Frank
@Speedy - please do.
Posted: Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Article comment by:
Speedy Gonzales
Hmmm, considering this State was blackmailed into this holiday by the Feds, how bout we just all lay around that day and do nada...
|
Article Comment Submission Form
|
|
