RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — There are tons of events going on in Richmond today to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
To launch the National Day of Service in Richmond, the City’s Neighbor-to-Neighbor office, UMFS (United Methodist Family Services), and AmeriCorps ACES are holding a program called “The Achievable Dream” on Monday from 10 a.m. to noon at United Methodist Family Service at 3900 W. Broad Street. The event will include a Valentine Museum presentation on the impact Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had on segregation and integration in Richmond, and the City’s AmeriCorps ACES Program will lead a learning exercise for 100 participating youth on the importance of civic engagement and service to others.
Around 1 p.m. on Monday, about 150 volunteers will participate in service projects in Richmond, including cleanups at Gillies Creek Park and Cannon Creek Ravine, the construction of a new mini-park in Church Hill and garden improvements at the Powhatan Community Garden, Owl Orchard Community and the Roots of Woodville Community Garden.
Those interested should email Paul Manning at Paul.Manning@Richmondgov.com or call (804) 646-6528 for more information. You can also click here to find more information about Neighbor-to-Neighbor volunteer opportunities.
From 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, students and staff at The Steward School will participate in an event called “Discover the Leader in You,” which will include community service projects and leadership development opportunities.
Classes are cancelled for students, faculty and staff at the University of Richmond as they commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday. An event will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. today called “Honoring the Legacy, Engaging the Dream” in the Modlin Center for the Arts, Campus Concert Hall. The campus community will also be participating in a day of service and learning, including a walking tour of Jackson Ward.
There will also be a screening of the movie “Selma” at the Byrd Theatre in Carytown at 3 p.m. Monday. You can click here for a complete list of events.
The Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site will welcome Erin Hollaway Palmer in their presentation of the program “One Stone at a Time: Reclaiming Richmond’s Past at East End Cemetery,” which will cover the efforts of volunteers to restore and preserve one of four historic African American cemeteries in Richmond. The free program will take place at 2:00 p.m. at 600 N. 2nd Street in Richmond. The site will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for the holiday.
On January 23, volunteers are needed for a Day of Service at the East End Cemetery, the final resting place for many prominent African American Richmonders. You can find more info about that opportunity here.
Admission to all National Parks is free on Monday. Click here for more info about Fee Free Days in 2016.
Students, activists and others with the New Virginia Majority plan “to talk about legislation and the issues that affect their daily lives” with nearly 50 lawmakers Monday at the General Assembly. Issues on the table for discussion include student debt, immigration and criminal justice legislation. Student members of the Virginia Student Power Network are planning a rally around 9 a.m. and another large march and rally will kick off at about 1:30 p.m. Participants will sit down to talk with lawmakers between 2 and 4 p.m.
The 30th annual Henrico County celebration honoring Dr. King will be held on Monday as well at 11:30 a.m. at Henrico High School.
In Brunswick County, the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial March gets underway at 9:30 a.m. The march begins at St. Paul’s College main entrance, 115 College Drive in Lawrenceville, Va. The march goes to the steps of the Brunswick Circuit Court.
Finally, Hopewell residents are invited to join in on a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. Those interested in volunteering should dress appropriately for the weather and outdoor work and meet Monday at 9 a.m. at King’s Court Park on Waverly Street. The event is scheduled through 12 p.m. and volunteers are asked to bring work gloves and rakes.
See something we missed? Send an email with iReport8@wric.com with information or links to your event and we will do our best to make sure it gets on this list.
