Communities and non-profits across the country are gearing up for what will undoubtedly be a record number of volunteers on this upcoming Martin Luther King Jr holiday, declared by Obama to be a National Day Of Service.I'll be doing my part when I coach my kids Sunday afternoon, and feeding the homeless (which we already do every 3rd Monday) with a group of friends from church the next day. If you're clueless about how to spend your day of service, peep some of the suggestions above. Tell em' Michelle-O.
The Obama inaugural committee has launched a new website, contest and all, Michelle Obama has reached out via email and video, and Colin Powell took the stage to announce his call to action.
* Public service ads that feature Dr. King's voice and Isaac Newton Farris, Jr., CEO and President of the King Center, have been distributed to more than 4,000 radio stations. The National Association of Broadcasters is sponsoring a "radio roadblock" when stations are encouraged to air the spot on January 15, Dr. King's birthday.
* The Corporation has launched a Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Fan page on Facebook and is working with Facebook and Facebook Causes to encourage users of the highly popular social networking site to volunteer or organize their own service projects to mark the King Holiday and Inauguration weekend.
* The King Day of Service website at http://www.mlkday.gov has a wealth of tools for planning and promoting projects, including new "do it yourself" action guides.
* The Corporation has enlisted entertainment, business, nonprofit, and sports leaders to serve as Ambassadors of Service including Jordin Sparks, Tony Dungy, and Michael W. Smith.
* ServiceNation, a coalition of more than 120 organizations campaigning to make service core ideal in our democracy, will host a service project to beautify a Washington D.C. elementary school.
Perhaps what I like most about Obama is that he's the living embodiment of The AverageBro Challenge™. His life has been dedicated to such causes, as anyone who's read his bio would know. Bringing this "the gubb'ment can't do it all, you need to chip in too" sensibility to the Oval Office is something that doesn't get the attention it should. Asking for more hands on deck is the definition of change. It comes via our efforts, not some dudes on Capitol Hill.
It's amazing that the GOP, which went overboard with that "socialism" crap last year didn't note the irony that the message of "self-sufficiency" and "less gubb'ment" that they so espouse was actually being advocated by their opponent. Then again, maybe they only mean "big gubb'ment" when it comes to personal freedoms like packin' heat and telling a woman what to do with her uterus, not selfless actions that make society as a whole better. But what's new?
I suspect that in the future, Obama will make such National Days of Service a regular thing. His (stated) plan to give $4,000 tax credits to college students who are actively involved in service organizations is indicative of this ethos.
And that's alright by me.
Question: Are you planning on doing anything for the National Day Of Service?
Getting Ready For Obama's Big Day...Of Service [HuffPost]