Gulfport’s MLK Day of Service event

BY YOLANDA ROMAN, Contributor

GULFPORT — The 2nd Annual City of Gulfport Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service will be held Sat., Jan. 16, 2016.  During the 2015 MLK Day of Service, many volunteers participated in a wide variety of community service projects, making the inaugural event very successful.

We are very proud that again we can demonstrate that as a community we can engage in actions that follow Dr. King’s legacy of making a difference in the lives of other.  His vision of equality, social justice and opportunity for all is a challenge we are more than happy to engage in.

Now is the time to identify and register a community service project for Gulfport’s MLK Day of Service 2016, or simply register a project you already serve as volunteer.  You can register as an individual participant or as a group.

For those who prefer to be pre-assigned to a service project, we are currently identifying a limited number of projects to assign volunteers to.  Please see mygulfport.us/mlkdayofservice/ for complete details and registration.

The Day of Service program is scheduled to begin with an opening ceremony at 8:30 a.m. at Tomlinson Lake Park on 19th Ave. & 54th St. S, in Gulfport, hosted by Mayor Sam Henderson and Vice Mayor Yolanda Roman.

Volunteers will be at their service project destinations from 9-12 p.m., returning to Tomlinson Lake Park for a closing ceremony and a tasty appreciation picnic.  We also have some wonderful individuals that will be part of the inspirational ceremonies.

Friends and neighbors, we are very excited to have Gulfport be part of this very important and significant event, joining thousands of Americans across the United States.  Please join us, tell your friends and help us make MLK Day of Service 2016 yet another wonderful event in the City of Gulfport.

For more information and/or questions, please contact Gail Biron at 727-893-1118, gbiron@mygulfport.us.