A Weekly Note from Mayor Gary L. Graham
“Traditional Values, Progressive Thinking”
Last Monday Americans across the country celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The day is traditionally marked by demonstrations for peace, social justice and racial and class equality as well as a national day of volunteer community service.
The holiday honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who was a charismatic and effective leader during the Civil Rights Movement in the late 1950’s and 1960’s. Dr. King’s lectures and dialogues stirred the concern and sparked the conscience of a generation. The movements and marches he led brought significant changes in the fabric of American life through his courage and selfless devotion.
Dr. King’s concept of “somebodiness,” which symbolized the celebration of human worth and the conquest of everyone being equal, gave black and poor people hope and a sense of dignity. His philosophy of non-violent direct action, and his strategies for rational and non-destructive social change, galvanized the conscience of this nation and reordered its priorities. His wisdom, his words, his actions, his commitment, and his dream for a new way of life are intertwined with the American experience.
In 1994 Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, designating the King Holiday as a national day of volunteer service. Instead of a day off from work or school, Congress asked Americans of all backgrounds and ages to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy by turning community concerns into citizen action. The King Day of Service brings together people who might not ordinarily meet, breaks down barriers that have divided us in the past, leads to better understanding and ongoing relationships, and is an opportunity to recruit new volunteers for ongoing projects.
Participation in the King Day of Service has grown steadily over the past decade, with hundreds of thousands of Americans each year engaging in projects such as tutoring and mentoring children, painting schools and senior centers, delivering meals, building homes, and reflecting on Dr. King’s life and teachings. Many of the projects started on King Day continue to engage volunteers beyond the holiday and impact the community year-round.
O’Fallon is one of those communities where volunteerism is a huge part of the fabric of our community. Service projects, such as tutoring and mentoring children and delivering meals occur year-round in our community. I am very proud of O’Fallon citizens who selflessly volunteer their time and expertise to help those in the community who need assistance. These volunteers commitment to community service is yet another example of why O’Fallon is such a great community in which to live.
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