Organization promotes volunteer action

To make Martin Luther King, Jr. Day a "day on, not a day off," Volunteer Connect has organized service projects in Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties.

Volunteers of all ages are encouraged to participate in this event and connect with their community on January 18.

In Sisters, Sisters Habitat for Humanity will be hosting a construction project for a townhome (5-10 volunteers).

Five to 15 volunteers are invited to help out Sisters Park & Recreation District with a cleaning and organizing project at the Sisters Park & Recreation Community Center.

All volunteers are invited for lunch and reflection at the Sisters Park & Recreation Community Center, 1750 W. McKinney Butte Dr. (Sisters High School parking lot).

To sign up for a project, contact organizer Jessica Knight at 385-8977, [email protected]

In 1994, Congress initiated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a national day of service. Last year, in 2009, over 13,000 community service projects took place across the country on the King Day of Service.

This year Volunteer Connect has organized over 20 half-day projects for volunteers to participate in, spanning Bend, La Pine, Madras, Prineville, Redmond and Sisters.

"Our goal is to support Dr. King's message that 'everybody can be great because anybody can serve' by engaging a wide variety of volunteers," Knight said. "We will have youth and student groups, corporate staff, families and individuals coming together."

Projects will run from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., followed by a light complimentary lunch and reflection session in each community.