A Day of Service, Kindness and Community
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) once said, “Everybody can be great, because anyone can serve.” Sharing this leading principle of Dr. King, members of Orange County’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Initiative set out to serve one of the most historic neighborhoods in the County.
In collaboration with Duke Energy and the Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida, volunteers at the Taft Boys & Girls Club held a day of service to commemorate Dr. King’s service legacy. Dozens of volunteers helped the Club clean and reorganize the playroom and storage facilities to better serve the location’s growing needs.
Traditionally, the MLK Day of Service is observed on January 20 to coincide with Dr. King’s birthday, a federal holiday to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. However, MLK Initiative members wanted to make sure community service projects continue throughout the year.
“Our idea was to show volunteers and students at the Boys & Girls Club that service to your community can be achieved through all kinds of actions and people – big or small,” said Ronda Robinson, Special Assistant to Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, and liaison to the MLK Initiative.” That is why we held the project on Random Acts of Kindness Day.”
Before the day of service began, Mayor Demings spoke with club members about the importance of public service, Black History Month in Orange County, as well as personal stories of his time as a member of the Boys & Girls Club. Mayor Demings also read the book Be a King by Carole Boston Weatherford.
All the students at the Club were able to take home a free copy of Be a King, as well as other books from a selection donated by Universal Studios and Duke Energy.
“The service project and books we received really emphasize the meaning of today,” added Kencaid Walker, a 10-year member of the Taft Boys & Girls Club. “It brings out the best in people and makes us closer as a community.”
To learn more about Mayor Jerry Demings’ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Initiative, visit www.ocfl.net/MLK.
To learn more about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida, visit www.bgccf.org.