Celebrating MLK Day

Students and Bloomington citizens looking to take part in Monday's "A Day On! Not A Day Off" activities, celebrating Martin Luther King Day, should have little trouble finding one that sparks their interest. Bloomington Transit will offer free rides to volunteers going to and from their projects. Below is a list of Monday's many events:\n• Big Brothers/Big Sisters -- At Barnes & Noble, noon to 4 p.m. Monday, ages 18 and over in two-hour shifts, assist children's activities; contact Brooke Ransom, 334-2828, brookesusanne@hotmail.com. \n• Bloomington High School North Character Education Class -- 3901 N. Kinser Pike, set up facility for special needs students, today through Jan. 24, 30 volunteers needed; contact Victoria Waltz, 334-8181, vwaltz@mccsc.edu. \n• Bloomington Playwrights Project -- 312 S. Washington St., annual Diversity Festival needs 10 greeters, ushers, reception personnel, at least 15-years-old, for two to three hour shifts, noon to midnight Monday; contact Breshaun Joyner, 336-5064, breshaunj@hotmail.com. \n• Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington -- 311 S. Lincoln St. and at Crestmont Boys & Girls Club, assist with various activities, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, 35 volunteers needed, age 13 and over; contact Sarah Ward, 332-5311 ext. 16, swardbgclub@hotmail.com. \n• Community Kitchen -- 917 S. Rogers and W. 11th street locations, Sunday and remainder of week, help prepare free meals, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and/or 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., preparing and serving meals, volunteers 13 and over with adult, or 16 and over alone; contact Julio Alonso, 332-0999, kitchenjulio@aol.com. \n• Congregation Beth Shalom and Unitarian Universalist Church -- 3750 E. Third St., 10 a.m. Monday, 25 volunteers age 5 and older, parents also welcome; preparation of snack packs; contact Rabbi Mira Wasserman, 334-2440, miraw@bluemarble.net". \n• Girls Scouts of Tulip Trace Council, Inc. -- 5488 E. State Rd. 46, booth at College Mall where volunteers make get-well cards, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Monday, children welcome; contact Terri Tock, 336-6804 ext. 23, terri@tuliptrace.org. \n• Hoosier Hills Food Bank -- 615 N. Fairview, Monday and on-going until completed, preparing bags for food drives, all ages; contact Dan Taylor or Amy Robinson, 334-8374, hhfb@bloomington.in.us. \n• Indiana Health Students Association -- at School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Tuesday, six volunteers needed age 18 and over to help in Red Cross blood drive; contact Jennifer Trumble, 333-6977, jtrumble@indiana.edu. \n• Mapleton Memorial First Baptist Church Ministries -- At Monroe County Historical Society, 202 E. Sixth St., noon to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, community sing-along, 16 volunteers needed, age 16 or younger, if accompanied by parent; contact Charles Rogers, 332-1615. \n• McDoel Gardens Neighborhood Association -- 512 W. Allen St., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, as many volunteers as possible to pick up trash from west branch of Clear Creek; contact Paul Ash, 333-8084, paul-liz@bluemarble.net. \n• Middle Way House -- At First United Methodist Church, 219 E. Fourth St., Wesley Wing, Room 318-319, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Domestic Violence Volunteer Training for persons interested in volunteering at Middle Way House, numerous male and female volunteers needed, ages 18 and over; contact Toby Strout, 333-7404, mwhouse@bloomington.in.us". \n• Middle Way House -- 404 W. Kirkwood, time to be arranged, Monday, 10 volunteers needed to paint kitchen and replace cabinets; contact Clara Wilson, 333-7404, pungo710@aol.com. \n• Middle Way Transitional Housing, The Rise! -- 401 S. Washington St., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, 15 volunteers needed ages 18 and over to paint offices; contact Katie Kenyon, 337-4510, katiekenyon@hotmail.com. \n• Monroe County Humane Association -- 3410 S. Old S.R. 37, time to be arranged, Monday, 10 volunteers with own transportation age 18 and over needed to load and distribute pet food to homebound pet owners; contact Kathy Obrakta, 349-3492 ext. 6, helpthem@bluemarble.net. \n• Monroe County Public Library Children's Department -- 303 E. Kirkwood, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, IU students will read to children; no additional volunteers are needed, but listeners (children, parents) are needed; contact Ginny Richey, 349-3100, vrichey@monroe.lib.in.us. \n• My Sister's Closet -- 308 N. Morton St., 1 to 4 p.m. Monday, 25 volunteers age 12 and over needed to sort, move clothes, clean store and organize donations; contact Sandy Vincent, 349-4050, svincent@absoluteresearch.net. \n• Opportunity House -- 907 W. 11th St., 9:30 a.m. Monday, eight volunteers age 16 and over needed to wash cabinets, sort clothes, assemble shelves; contact Janet Donham, 336-2443 or 334-1312, dedonham@bloomington.in.us. \n• Second Baptist Church -- 301 N. Rogers, Monday through May 19, each Monday, volunteers age 21 and over needed to train children and adults in computer literacy; contact Rev. Donald Griffin, 336-2665 or 824-9866, dogriffi@indiana.edu. \n• Shalom Community Center -- 219 E. Fourth St., 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, 25 volunteers age 17 and over needed to build shelves, clean rooms and floors; contact Donna Jaques, 334-5728, shalomdonna@yahoo.com. \n• Shelter, Inc. -- 919 S. Rogers, time TBA, Monday, two volunteers age 21 and over needed to assemble storage cabinet, create workspace for residents; contact Isabelle Ambrose, 332-1444, imambrose@hotmail.com. \n• Templeton Elementary English As a New Language Program -- 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and after; many volunteers who speak Spanish, Mongolian, Korean, Hebrew, Albanian, and other languages needed to translate reading materials; contact Amie Easton, 330-7735 ext. 249 or 876-1630, aeaston@mccsc.edu. \n• Youth in Action of the Youth Network -- at Youth Services Bureau, 515 S. Adams, 3 p.m. Monday and Saturdays this spring, students and adult volunteers are needed to clean graffiti; contact Linda Hanek, 349-2030, yslhanek@co.monroe.in.us. \nFor more information, contact Craig Brenner at 349-3471 or brennerc@city.bloomington.in.us.