Many years ago, when the Board of Education first announced plans to close schools in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, one of our readers, Patricia Idrobo, came up with the idea of creating “A Day On, Not A Day Off.” Idrobo organized many community groups, and mobilized a cadre of kids to go to the high school cafeteria to perform a variety of community services. The inaugural “Day On” event was a great success. The cafeteria was filled with tables at which people were working on behalf of others. It was a joy to see, but more importantly, it helped to demonstrate to our children the lessons that Dr. King taught. At the end of the program, there was also a brief educational component which helped to teach Dr. King’s ideals.
That gathering has since become an annual tradition, and this year, the Day of Service will be held on Monday, January 15, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Livingston Senior/Community Center on Hillside Avenue. Dozens of organizations will be sharing their service projects at the event. There will be opportunities to donate food and care items, for those who wish to bring some. It is also, as the event flyer says, “a day to come together in service to our community and reflect on Dr. King’s teachings of love, peace, and unity.”
Members of the Livingston Committee for Diversity and Inclusion (LCDI), the organizing group for the event, should be commended for their efforts. There is so much good being done during the Day of Service, and we should all be grateful for the hard work done by this group of volunteers. As officials from the LCDI have noted, the Day of Service was created to remind people that Dr. King’s dream of a better world lives on through collective community efforts. Setting aside time to volunteer for the MLK Day of Service offers an opportunity to connect with the community, and to pay tribute to Dr. King’s enduring legacy. Each act of kindness toward those in need within our broader community can have a significant impact.
Dr. King has said that life’s most persistent question is, “What are you doing for others?” So for those who have the day off in his honor, we hope you will instead make it a “day on” instead, and participate.
