Community Corner

Local MLK Day Opportunities

Honor the Civil Rights struggle with some of the King Day events happening in Arlington.

Arlington celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, even if Virginia only does so begrudgingly. Maybe you spent Lee-Jackson Day stonewalling your charitable side…or just sitting around in your confederate-themed pajamas. But In the spirit of Dr. King’s legacy, let’s all make tomorrow a fruitful day of helping your fellow man (or animal) right here in the county. Here are a few options you can choose from to fill your do-gooder quota.

Pre-MLK Day:

Arlington County – “MLK Day Celebration at Jefferson Middle School”

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This gathering marks the county’s 41st year of celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The event will feature Journalist Horace Holmes of WJLA as the Master of Ceremonies, Keynote Speaker Rev. Walter E. Fauntroy, civil rights activist and friend of Dr. King, the World Children’s Choir and the Washington-Lee Jazz Band.

Sunday, Jan. 16, 7-9pm at 3501 Second St S., Arlington, VA 22204

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MLK Day Volunteer Opportunities:

Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) – “Food Drives on MLK Day”

Arlington Food Assistance Center suggests that you consider holding a food drive wherever you live, work or play to honor MLK day.Though the center will be closed on the holiday, an online food drive is always up and running at their website. You can arrange your own mini-drive and pickup by calling  (703) 845-8486.

Gulf Branch Nature Center – “A Day Of Service...Save Our Forest” 

From 1-4pm tomorrow, get down to the Gulf Branch Nature Center at 3608 Military Road in Arlington to help remove invasive plants that are edging out native species. It may not sound particularly Civil Rights oriented to be removing leafy immigrants, but the rules are a little different in the plant world.

Information: 703-228-3408 or click to their website.

AmeriCorps – “MLK Day of Service”

The strapping young lads and ladies of Arlington’s AmeriCorps teams will work to keep our watershed clean MLK day and invite you to join them. You can do that at the Neighborhood and Stream Cleanup from 10am to noon at Arlington Mill Community Center. There volunteers will help clean up a section of Columbia Pike and Four Mile Run. The team will later circle up and head to the Gulf Branch Nature Center event listed above.

Registration: 703-228-6406 or volunteer@arlingtonenvironment.org

Of Course there are plenty of other worthy causes in Arlington that need help year round. You can check them out at Volunteer Arlington.


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