More than 500 volunteers honored the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King by participating in the Arlington MLK Day of Service on Monday.
The registration line at Mission Metroplex snaked through the building and down the sidewalk outside, with groups and individuals bundled against the cold as they prepared to help out across the city. After registering and grabbing a cup of coffee and a donut, they headed out to locations including Mission Arlington, Arlington Charities, and 20 private residences. They spent the morning unloading donations, sorting canned foods, and cleaning up the yards of individuals in need of assistance.
Toni Kincaid, chair of the Arlington MLK Celebration Committee, said that the best way to honor Dr. King is through service and volunteering.
"And every year it grows," Kincaid said, noting a large stack of walk-up registration forms.
That growth was evident in the volunteers who came out for the day. Five colleagues from the Greater Texas Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service were participating for the first time after one of them found the Arlington MLK Day of Service web page and invited her coworkers to join her. The group was working to clear dead branches and leaves from a yard at an East Arlington home.
Cheryel Carpenter, publicity chair for the MLK Celebration Committee, said that bringing together people from all backgrounds is just what the weekend is intended to do.
"The Arlington MLK Celebration weekend is all about people of all ages coming together to celebrate, help one another and honor the dream of a man who changed the trajectory as he pushed forth a movement for justice and equality," Carpenter said. "On the behalf of the Arlington Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee, we are truly thankful to the Arlington community for their continued support and participation."
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