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2009 MLK Day of Service is Largest Ever

More than 13,000 service projects took place across the country in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, Jan. 19. The number of service projects increased more than 160 percent over last year. Americans made it "a day on, not a day off" by delivering meals, refurbishing schools, reading to children, signing up mentors, and much more. The Points of Light Institute and its HandsOn Network reported 100,000 volunteers in projects across the country. National broadcast and cable coverage included multiple stories on all major networks, news networks, BET, and MTV. USA Today and the Washington Post ran lead King Day editorials and covered the day of service several times. There were more than 5,000 regional and local print, television and radio stories. MLK Day radio PSAs aired more than 24,000 times reaching 75 million listeners in the month leading up to the day of service. Read a complete report of service activities around the country.

2009 MLK Day in Virginia Highlights

  • Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and more than 20 students from the College of William and Mary helped build Habitat for Humanity homes in Petersburg. Members of Pathways AmeriCorps participated with the William and Mary students at the Habitat house. The project was sponsored through the Phoenix Project. Others Pathways AmeriCorps members prepared a soup luncheon for more than 60 participants. Students researched and created a video on the civil rights movement which was presented at the luncheon.  
  • In Wise County, Mountain Empire Community College (MECC) spent the day working on AARP's Operation Energy Save project. Partnering with Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc. and MECC's Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, 34 members of MECC AmeriCorps and 79 volunteers assisted elderly people on MEOC's fuel assistance list who asked for help with the their checklist and completing minor weatherization repairs.   
  • Boaz & Ruth honored Dr. King's life with their 7th annual Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.  Nearly 100 representatives from Boaz and Ruth, community members, and individuals gathered at 5th Street Baptist Church for a memorial service and then proceeded on a candlelight walk to the Boaz & Ruth Harvest Store for dinner and fellowship.
  • In honor of MLK DAY, representatives from Ms. Wheelchair Virginia went to the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, Jan. 18, in Charlottesville. The event featured speakers, uplifting praise music, and an award presented to Reverend William S. Johnson for his work towards ending discrimination.    

 See photos from MLK Day service projects throughout Virginia.

Published on Monday, January 26, 2009