Hundreds in Arlington Celebrate MLK Day With Community Service

For many people, Martin Luther King Day is a day off. For members of the University of Texas at Arlington’s NAACP chapter, it was a day on.

“We all decided it was a perfect opportunity,” said Yoel Zehaie, one of the students who volunteered Monday.

They spent the morning at Richard Greene Linear Park in Arlington to help city staff pick up trash and do landscaping.

It was one of dozens of projects that took place across the city as part of the annual MLK Day of Service. More than 200 people participated.

“Me, personally, I love community service,” said Ashley Peebles, another UTA student who volunteered Monday. “I love giving back to the community. And we also get to explore other parts of Arlington we haven’t seen before.”

King famously said “greatness is determined by service.” Organizers of the Day of the Service said that’s why it’s one of the best ways they can honor his legacy – and why they were so encouraged to see so many people give up their holiday to help others.

“His dream was to get out and serve others,” said Toni Kincaid, Chair of Arlington’s MLK Day of Service. “He said that that’s what we should be doing instead of expecting others to serve us.”

The volunteers say in serving, they, too, are served. They get to leave feeling good and they get to have fun along the way.

“I’ve had a good time,” said Zehaie.
 

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