Are You Ready for MLK National Day of Service?

What are you doing on January 18, 2010?

If you even think about saying, “I’m gonna relax in my underwear and scratch myself,” then you should definitely rethink your decision.

January 18, 2010 is an important day in the service world. It’s a day that allows us to remember the great contributions of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and while it’s a day off for most people, we make it a “day on.”

The DC AmeriCorps Leadership Council will be planning a large service day in Washington, D.C. We have already begun dialogue with the famed Ballou High School whose stellar marching band has not only been in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but they even have their own documentary! How cool is that?

Did I mention that Ballou High School’s Marching Band is also the FIRST high school from Washington, D.C. in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?

Just to give you an idea of some of the proposed projects:

• Painting murals to brighten the hallways of Ballou High School
• Renovation of the school’s auditorium, which was once used to hold community meetings
• Building (yes, building) a library for the high school from the ground up!

As Co-Director of the DC AmeriCorps Leadership Council, I know we’ve got some amazingly talented individuals, but we cannot do this alone. We’ll be looking for people to help us on the day of service, and more importantly… prior to the event!

We will be doing a needs assessment within the next few days (I will probably post photographs also), and I hope that you will share this site with friends and family as we get closer to the big day!

Additionally, I will be sharing my own personal project to further benefit youth in DC.

There’s a lot of great stuff happening, and I hope that you will stay tuned for what’s in store!