Volunteer Connect invites Central Oregonians of all ages to sign up for the fifth annual regional Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service January 20.
On January 20 from 9am to 12pm volunteers throughout Central Oregon will honor the legacy of Dr. King by joining hundreds of thousands of other Americans in volunteering for MLK Day of Service projects.
The projects are connected to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, which is the only federal holiday observed as a day of service — a “day on, not a day off.”“The MLK Day of Service is a Central Oregon tradition that connects neighbors and provides valuable service and support to nonprofits across the region,” said Volunteer Connect Board President Betsy Warriner. “People of all ages can spend a few hours making a difference in their community and helping create what Dr. King called the ‘Beloved Community.’”
200+ volunteers. 700+ hours of service.
Last year, Volunteer Connect’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service engaged more than 230 volunteers in19 different projects — resulting in more than 700 hours of service to the community. The 2013 volunteer projects included building a house with Bend Area Habitat for Humanity; picking, arranging and delivering flowers to hospice patients with The Bloom Project; and cleaning at the Redmond St. Vincent de Paul chapter, to name a few.
Growth expected at 2014 event
Similar service projects will take place at the 2014 event, when hundreds of volunteers will provide service at an anticipated 20-plus locations across Bend, La Pine, Prineville, Redmond, and Madras. After their three hours of service, all volunteers will be invited to a complimentary lunch and community discussion in Bend to reflect on their experiences.
Service projects are still available for groups and individuals of all ages. Interested volunteers are encouraged to browse the full list of projects and register for the MLK Day of Service by Jan. 13 at www.volunteerconnectnow.org, at the “What’s Happening” button.
About Volunteer Connect Volunteer Connect is a free resource for finding volunteer opportunities in Central Oregon. We are a network of 120 nonprofit and public organizations, with our website serving as a way to link the community to the needs served by those organizations. Our goal is to help match interested volunteers with their passion!
