MLK Day Service in Many Colors

By Michael Matthis
Second Year Mentor Michigan College Coaching Corps AmeriCorps Member Serving at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Detroit

This past Monday was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. How did you spend it? Well, this guy along with many other volunteers around the Detroit area, spent his time giving back! In collaboration with such organizations as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Detroit, the United Way of Southeast Michigan, and City Year Detroit, a service project was convened.

The project took place at Harper Woods High School moments away from Detroit proper. Volunteers painted over 20 murals for the school. They coordinated a huge overhaul of the school library which included taking inventory of more than 3,000 books. I myself got the chance to help sort over 750 hygiene kits to be distributed later to the homeless. To top it all off, we spent time writing letters and creating Valentine’s Day cards for our troops and veterans in the Armed Forces.

The most eye opening observation for me was the colors of the volunteers. This was not a service project where people got lost in a sea of red and black City Year jackets. Nor was it a project where volunteers were swallowed by AmeriCorps greys and A’s. I noticed a more comprehensive collage that included the green shirts of Starbucks employees, the black and white of Big Brother Big Sister volunteers, and rainbows of everyday people with only the tie of living in the community. Yes, I watched as massive amounts of volunteers poured into the school site’s doors.

When I asked volunteers how they came to know about the project, the message was always the same: “I heard from a friend of a friend to go register online.” Well folks, this should serve well to remind us that there are few things in life stronger than the heart of a volunteer. It tells us there are many out there still willing to seek out and give their time to make their communities a better place.

I couldn’t help but be inspired by it. I couldn’t help but be encouraged by the notion that people who aren’t already connected to service, still desire to serve! I could not help but reflect on the words of Dr. King…

“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity."

Community service was such a perfect way to honor his legacy. I do it not only because am I am AmeriCorps member, but because I’m also addicted to it. Now what’s your excuse? Why do you serve?