February 2012

A National Day of Service

Painting a mural in Santa AnaPainting a mural in Santa Ana

Painting a mural in Santa Ana
Volunteers painted a mural in Santa Ana, California, for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day.

Many people have the day off on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day. Schools, post offices, and many businesses are closed. One group in our government asks people to have “a day on, not a day off” on this holiday. This group asks people to spend the day working on projects to help their community.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day is called a national day of service. Service is work people do for others. Dr. King believed that people could work together to make their communities better. He encouraged everyone to serve.

Across the country, many adults and children serve, or work for, their community on Dr. King’s birthday. This is one way people honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. They do service projects to help others.

This year, on Dr. King’s birthday, college students in Massachusetts painted walls at schools and worked in the schools’ gardens. In California, people painted murals and planted trees. Volunteers in Georgia fixed bikes and cleaned toys. Students in Illinois helped make food for those in need.

Even President Barack Obama and his family did a service project. They volunteered at an elementary school in Washington, D.C.

Image credit: ©H. Lorren Au Jr./Orange County Register/AP Images

Related Link

 
Question 1
What does service mean?





 
Question 2
Which is one way people honor Dr. King on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day?






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