UWT FavoritesAnnual Martin Luther King Jr. Days of Service
Thank You!
In commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, people across the nation were called upon to perform community service. Honoring this tradition, UW Tacoma offered 10 opportunities for community members to engage in a service activity over three days: January 17, January 19, and January 24, 2009. Volunteers had a choice of activities and days, with some sites offering their volunteer opportunities more than once.
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The activities included the following:
- The Food Connection, processing and distributing food items at Pierce County’s largest Food Bank;
- Tacoma Pierce County Habitat for Humanity constructing a home at Habitat for Humanity’s Larabee Terrace Project;
- The Washington State History Museum program ushers for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day event;
- Metro Parks Tacoma clean up in Pt. Defiance Park to advance the fire suppression work happening along the roadside and trails;
- Silver Creek Restoration Project to plant native trees and shrubs;
- The Good Neighbor Café, preparing foods, setting up for meals, stocking, and serving for the free, healthy and well-balanced meals for low-income and homeless individuals; and
- Clover Creek Reserve tree planting to improve stream-side habitat by returning the banks of the creek to native vegetation.
A total of 62 volunteers participated in all the service opportunities: 31 UWT students; 5 UWT faculty and staff; 1 UW Seattle students; 21 community members; and 4 TRIO students.
Safeway Stores contributed food items for the volunteer snacks. An additional 10 UWT students assisted in the organizing and promotion of the service opportunities.
Thank you to all volunteers and contributors!
About the Day of Service
The Diversity Resource Center sponsors an annual series of service projects in the South Puget Sound area to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. The UW Tacoma program, which takes places over several days in order to accommodate student schedules, is organized as part of the national MLK Jr. Day of Service, sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Staff, students, faculty, family members and friends are all invited to participate!
"The King Day of Service is a way to transform Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life and teachings into community service that helps solve social problems. That service may meet a tangible need, such as fixing up a school or senior center, or it may meet a need of the spirit, such as building a sense of community or mutual responsibility. On this day, Americans of every age and background celebrate Dr. King through service projects that strengthen communities, empower individuals, and bridge barriers."
— www.mlkday.gov
How can I learn more about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.?
Visit some of the following links:
The King Center
Established in 1968 by Coretta Scott King, The King Center is the official, living memorial dedicated to the advancement of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., leader of America’s greatest nonviolent movement for justice, equality and peace.
Biography of Martin Luther King Jr.
This autobiography/biography was first published in the book series Les Prix Nobel. It was later edited and republished in Nobel Lectures, here it is presented by Nobelprize.org.
The Corporation for National and Community Service - Nation-wide Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Website
In 1994 Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, designating the King Holiday as a national day of volunteer service. Instead of a day off from work or school, Congress asked Americans of all backgrounds and ages to celebrate Dr. King's legacy by turning community concerns into citizen action. The King Day of Service brings together people who might not ordinarily meet, breaks down barriers that have divided us in the past, leads to better understanding and ongoing relationships, and is an opportunity to recruit new volunteers for your ongoing work.
Take a related course at UW Tacoma:
- TCSIUS 220: African American History: 1619 - 1865
- TCSIUS 221: African American History: 1865 - 1945
- TCSIUS 223: African American History: 1945 - Present
- TCSIUS 441: Black Freedom Movement in Perspective
- TCSIUS 456: Community and Labor Organizing: A Multicultural Perspective
- TIBCUS 459: African-American Culture and Consciousness
- TIBCUS 466: Life and Thought: Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Angela Davis
For updated information on these courses, visit the UW Tacoma Catalog or Registration Guide