MLK, Jr. Weekend Hands On Georgia Day of Service

Members of Youth for a Cleaner Environment pitched in to beautify
the home of 77-year-old Frances Muller.

During the King Holiday weekend in January, Hands On Georgia honored Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by joining its affiliates in communities across Georgia for A Day On, Not A Day Off.

From Dalton to Thomasville, volunteers joined with 10 Hands On Georgia affiliates to perform service projects ranging from tree planting, documentary film making and playground restoration.  “From north to south, east to west, Georgians blanketed the state demonstrating acts of true community volunteerism supporting the legacy of Dr. King,” said Eric Tanenblatt, Hands On Georgia Board Chair.

 Resident to Resident

In Macon and Savannah, for example, A Day On, Not A Day Off took on a special meaning for several of those cities’ residents.  Hands On Savannah called on young volunteers to participate in its clean up efforts.  Members of Youth for a Cleaner Environment or YFACE pitched in to beautify the home of 77-year-old Frances Muller.  The students raked leaves in Muller’s yard, cleared out pine straw and added some much-welcomed color to the flower beds.

In Macon, nearly 30 volunteers from Georgia Power partnered with Hands On Macon to complete renovations to the homes of four senior citizens. Many of the seniors lived alone and were overwhelmed with the upkeep of their homes. Volunteers stepped in to clear debris and make their living spaces more pleasant.

In addition to the home cleanups, Hands On Macon used funds acquired from a Hands On Network grant to partner with Central High School for the production of a documentary.  The film chronicles the lives of several long-time residents who lived through the civil rights era in Macon and middle Georgia.  The students researched the time period and also interviewed black and white residents of the Dempsey and McAffee Residence Towers in Macon. “The students worked extremely hard on the video project,” said Gigi Rolfes, executive director, Hands On Macon.  “In chronicling the lives of these residents, their history lesson was more vivid and compelling.”

Historic Cemetery and Neighborhood Clean Up

Two Columbus historic cemeteries are a lot greener now thanks to Hands On Columbus.  During its annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Serve-A-Thon, Hands On Columbus partnered with Trees Columbus to plant trees in the Porterdale and Riverdale cemeteries.  Volunteers spent the morning of January 21 installing trees that will provide a more comfortable and cooler environment for visitors to the historic burial grounds.   Porterdale Cemetery is the second oldest in the city.  Formerly called The Colored Cemetery until 1936, it is considered the burial location for blacks as far back as 1828.  Georgia native and Mother of the Blues Gertrude “Ma” Rainey is buried in Porterdale. 

One of the on-going projects this year took place in Wayne County.  Volunteers from Rayonier, a global supplier of timber, performance fibers and wood products continued Rayonier’s 2005 MLK Day of Service project.  Last year Rayonier started a three-year restoration project of Hickory Street Park in Jesup in an effort to provide a more enjoyable recreational environment for the neighborhood children.  This year, with the launch of Hands On Wayne County, it seemed only fitting for Rayonier and the Hands On Georgia affiliate to share resources and expand the project.  “Hands On Wayne County was extremely fortunate to be able to work with Rayonier on this MLK Day of Service project”, said Crystal Gill, executive director.  “As a new Hands On Georgia affiliate, working with such a great corporate citizen will help ease our efforts to highlight volunteerism in the county.”

Hands On Georgia affiliate communities truly embraced the spirit of A Day On, Not A Day Off. “There is something extremely gratifying to know that so many Georgians were willing to take time to commemorate one of the state’s most famous native sons,” Tanenblatt added.  “This annual event is a wonderful opportunity for all Georgians to share in the spirit of Dr. King and we take pride in how well A Day On, Not A Day Off was received across the state.”

For more information on how you and fellow Georgians can positively impact your community, e-mail or call us at info@handsongeorgia.org or 404-979-2910.

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