Martin Luther King Jr. Day targeted for service

The Corporation for National and Community Service awarded Bloomington a grant to help assist local organizations in sponsoring volunteer projects for the coming Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The holiday is celebrated the third Monday of January, which will be Jan. 21, 2002. The grant, worth $4,050, is part of a campaign by the city to encourage citizens to work together.\nThe holiday is termed "A Day On! Not A Day Off" because of the effort to get people involved within the community for the day. \n"It's a way to celebrate civic engagement," said Penni Simms, media coordinator for Mayor John Fernandez. "It's a fitting tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy that a day of civic involvement is used to celebrate his holiday."\nThe purpose of the grant is to help groups fund volunteer events. \n"We're asking any organization that might need volunteers," said Craig Brenner, the city of Bloomington's community and family resources special project coordinator. "It helps the groups pay for expenses and thereby offer volunteer opportunities to people who might not do anything else on the holiday. We're going to work for the benefit of the community and not just lounge around on the holiday."\nAbout 400 students with 38 student organizations were involved in the community service day last year. \n"Each year we get more and more student organizations," said Darrell Ann Stone, associate director of student activities and the adviser for the Volunteer Students Bureau. "It's a tremendous success with a wonderful student turnout that is both diverse and representative of students and student organizations on campus."\nThe registration deadline for student volunteers is Friday.\nStone there is a true collaboration between the city and the university on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.\n"(The community service day) is one of the few that is actually a collaboration between town-gown," Stone said. "Oftentimes there are many students and student organizations who have never stepped off-campus ... It's an opportunity to learn about Bloomington, and more importantly to learn about social issues in the community."\nBloomington Mayor John Fernandez sees the day as a way to bring the community of Bloomington together. \n"Part of what we want to do at the city is encourage civic participation," Fernandez said, "and the way we use this grant encourages people to think creatively on how to use this money for projects. In doing so we improve our community." \nThe activities on Martin Luther King Jr. Day can also help bring personal change and satisfaction. \n"One of the beautiful things about Martin Luther King Jr. volunteer day is the bare fact that people who would usually never come together are coming together for one purpose," Stone said. "Meeting new people can often change your world." \nThe mayor said he hopes that projects will be held across the city in order to include and involve the entire Bloomington community. \n"There's the collective benefit of all small projects adding up to make a difference in the community," Fernandez said. "We've got a constant theme (at the city) of trying to get citizens engaged and involved in the community. We want to have sustained involvement from the people in the community we live in." \nFunding is available to non-profit organizations, businesses, churches, community and neighborhood groups, public and private agencies and governmental agencies within Monroe County.\nService activities should address community needs, bring people together or reflect on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The projects must begin or occur on Jan. 21, 2001.\nFernandez says that to understand the importance and benefits of community service, people have to actually be involved. \n"We can say (it is important), but you don't know until you do it. When you do it, you feel it, and it is real," Fernandez said.\nGroups participating in "A Day On! Not A Day Off" will be honored at a celebration of the holiday on 7 p.m., Jan. 21 at the Buskirk-Chumley Theatre. The entire community is invited to the program. \nIn order to receive funding, groups need to submit an application by 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 11. For applications, people should contact Brenner at 349-3430.