Friday, January 23, 2009

MLK: The Value of Giving Time






First off, I’d like to say thank you to all the project coordinators, and task leaders. Without you, this day would not have been possible.
The MLK Day of Service in Athens, Georgia proved to be a time of community and commitment. As I visited the sites, I witnessed great volunteer participation, laughter and lots of hard work. I took many pictures and thus have an incredible library of the day. I wonder why people take the time out of their busy schedules to volunteer. I mean, Monday January, 19th was a day off of work for most. I believe people volunteered because of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. True, there were some there with other reasons for volunteering however, the overwhelming reason was to be involved in a cause greater than oneself. I hope that the 800+ volunteers who showed up on MLK day realize that Dr. King did not volunteer his time one day out of the year, rather he dedicated his life to volunteering. Like many of you, I am a very busy person who gets tired and just wants to relax on Saturday. However, I remember people like Dr. King and realize that he too was tired yet he continued to give of himself. If we really wish to continue his legacy, we must be willing to give of our time and talents even when we are tired and worn out. A community can only thrive when we are all willing to put in the time and effort to see it through.

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