MLK Day offers opportunities for service
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a national holiday that has become a day of community service for many, falls Jan. 18 this year. Here are some South Sound options for service:
Mission Creek Nature Park: The city of Olympia and Stream Team are gearing up to host a work party in conjunction with Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Lend a hand planting willows and Oregon ash as part of a wetland restoration project in Mission Creek Nature Park. All ages are welcome. The event runs 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at Mission Creek Nature Park, 1700 San Francisco Ave. NE, Olympia. Parking is available on street or at Roosevelt Elementary. Carpooling is encouraged. Call 360-753-8365 to register or go to streamteam.info/getinvolved/calendar.
Stream Team Tree Planting: Residents are invited to join volunteers, the city of Lacey, Stream Team, and AmeriCorps for a tree planting event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 18, at Woodland Creek Community Park, 6729 Pacific Ave. SE, Lacey. To register, visit streamteam.info/getinvolved/calendar. For more information, contact Chelsey Cook by phone at 360-438-2672 or email americorps@ci.lacey.wa.us.
McLane Creek Nature Trail Ecological Restoration Project: Two local nonprofit organizations affiliated with the Washington State University Extension Service are coordinating an ecological restoration project at McLane Creek Nature Trail for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. AmeriCorps members serving with Native Plant Salvage Foundation and Thurston County 4-H Youth Development invite local volunteers of all ages to help remove invasive species, such as reed canary grass and Himalayan blackberry, in preparation for future native plantings. Tasks will be available for people of all abilities. The work party will run from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 18, and volunteers are invited to stay for all or part of the event. Light snacks and hot beverages will be provided. The trail is at 5045 Delphi Road SW, Olympia. Call 360-867-2167 or email nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com to register.
MLK Day SkillShare: Community Youth Services AmeriCorps Team is hosting a SkillShare at the First United Methodist Church in Olympia on Jan. 18. The SkillShare will feature a day of workshops focusing on building skills to address the impacts of poverty and homelessness. The workshops will cover topics like financial literacy, cooking nutritious food on a budget, yoga and meditation, and public transportation. The event runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will be held in the Great Hall of the church, 1224 Legion Way SE.
Washington State History Museum: Admission is free Jan. 18 and a number of events and programs honoring the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. are planned beginning at 2 p.m. “Finding Your Voice Through Art,” a collective of artists and supporters committed to celebrating and promoting the visual artwork of artists of African descent, will lead a hands-on family program discussing selected works from their exhibit “A Decade of Art.” At 3:30 p.m., the play “Get on the Bus” honors the legacy of King. It follows two friends on a journey of self-discovery, determination and empathy for their fellow humans. The museum is at 1911 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-272-3500.
SPSCC 2016 Artist and Lecture Series: A Martin Luther King Jr. banquet will feature keynote speaker Nancy Giles, a “CBS This Morning” contributor and comedian. The banquet is at 6 p.m. Jan. 18 at the Student Union Building at South Puget Sound Community College, 2011 Mottman Road SW, Olympia. Tickets are $40 per person, and are available online at spscc.edu/MLKtix or by calling 360-596-5334.
Jasiri X: Hip-hop artist and activist Jasiri X will speak at 7 p.m. Jan. 19 for the 30th annual celebration of King at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. The free talk is at Schneebeck Concert Hall; doors will open at 6:30 p.m. For more information, email cice@pugetsound.edu or call 253-879-2751.
This story was originally published January 10, 2016 at 9:14 AM with the headline "MLK Day offers opportunities for service."