Schools and many workplaces will close on Monday for the federal holiday honoring civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., but there’s still plenty going on in town.
If you’re looking to participate in the MLK Day of Service, HandsOn Northeast Georgia, a program of Community Connection, invites the community to have “a day on, not off” by serving others.
The day of service will begin with a kick-off at Lay Park at 297 Hoyt St. from 9–10 a.m. The first 300 volunteers will receive free breakfast and a T-shirt. Community Connection requests that volunteers bring canned goods to the kick-off event for their food drive.
Following the kick-off, volunteers can participate in one of six service opportunities around town. The types of service include grounds beautification, cemetery cleanup and trail clearing. Volunteers can register for a service opportunity ahead of time online or can be assigned to one at the kick-off event.
You can find more details and the list of specific service opportunities on their website.
In addition to the service events organized by Community Connection, the Athens Land Trust will host two overflow sites for service—one at West Broad Market Garden and the other at Williams Farm. Volunteers can garden at these sites from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Refreshments will be provided.
The BikeAthens Bike Recycling Program will host volunteers from 10:00 a.m.–1 p.m. to help them re-organize after the Holiday Bikes 4 Kids Drive. They encourage volunteers to attend the kick-off event at the Lay Center also.
Extra Special People will hold its 5th annual Dream to Be Able ML5K. The event will start in Dudley Park at 2:15 p.m. with the Dream Dash, a race less than a mile long, in honor of children with development disabilities. The 5K begins at 3 p.m. Registration for the 5K is $25 and the Dream Dash is $10. T-shirts will be given as supplies last. Race-day registration begins at 1 p.m.
The public is invited to the MLK Sunday Community Celebration on Sunday from 2–4:30 p.m. at the Lyndon House Arts Center. The free event is a variety program of readings, songs, dance, remarks and a viewing of the current exhibit “WAR NO MORE,” the 2015 Annual Visions of MLK Community Celebration & Art Exhibition. The exhibit showcases a visual poetry project on the theme of cooperation. Tuesday is the final day of the exhibit.
Hendershot’s is also having their third annual “A Night of Music for Medicine” benefit show from 7–10 p.m. Twelve bucks will get you in the show to see MrJordanMrTonks, The Wildcats and Caroline Aiken and the C.A.B. The show will benefit the Athens Nurses Clinic for the homeless and uninsured.
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