King Day of Service

January 18, 2010 is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, also known as The King Day of Service. January is also National Mentoring Month.

Dr. King had a dream of equality for all, justice, and freedom. He encouraged all who would listen to live up to their potential, their ability to do what they can to the best level possible. Dr. King once said, “In a real sense, all life is interrelated. All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be.”  

The King Day of Service is an opportunity to exhibit the teachings of Dr. King and his life example through meeting needs within the community, whatever those needs may be. By lifting up our neighbors we lift up ourselves. So in honor of this new “great” tradition, Penn Homes encourages you to become involved in service of your choice.

If you don’t know how to locate the needs within your area, let me tell you it is easy! I did a quick Google of volunteer opportunities and wow! All I can say is try starting with these:

http://www.serve.gov/

http://www.charity-charities.org/volunteering/Louisiana-volunteers/Shreveport.html

http://www.volunteermatch.org/

http://www.allforgood.org/

http://www.nationalmentoringmonth.org/

http://www.nationalservice.gov/

http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/programs/americorps.asp

If you can’t find something at one of these sites (several are for Shreveport, LA specifically), please feel free to email me at lisa@mjpenn.com and let me help you find something. I personally volunteer as a CASA Advocate. http://www.casaforchildren.org.

Mike Penn has partnered with the Jeffersonian Institute to provide green building and energy conservation education at their facilities to further their mission. The short term goal is to educate the public, provide continuing education across a wide spectrum of disciplines along with promoting small business through breakout sessions with attendees and product vendors.  The long term goal is to provide hands on activities in model green homes and buildings demonstrating proper techniques and usage. For more information on this project: http://jeffersonianinstitute.org/

 “Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verbs agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.”

Whatever your passion is, whatever drives you to get up in the morning out of your warm bed, whatever it is that gets your dander up when watching the news, become involved in that. “The time is always right to do what is right.”