VCU AmeriCorps volunteers participated in “A Day On” to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

By Mike Porter

Members of Virginia Commonwealth University’s AmeriCorps program participated in a four-day community service effort as part of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

 “Hands On Greater Richmond” sponsored “MLK Day 2010: Make it a Day On…Not a Day Off!” Jan. 15 through Jan. 18 as part of a national effort to honor the legacy of King by promoting thousands of community service projects.

 “We wanted to get people to really think about Dr. Martin Luther King by getting involved and doing something that benefits the greater community,” said Erin Burke Brown, VCU AmeriCorps program director.

Some of the 57 VCU AmeriCorps members served as “project captains” and others signed up as volunteers, joining hundreds of others on 21 service projects across the Richmond area. 

VCU AmeriCorps volunteer Candice Nunnally spent the weekend working on six different projects. Nunnally helped Association for Retarded Citizens participants at their popular bingo night; worked in a community garden at the Fulton Community Center; toured Richmond with third graders to teach them about the city’s history through the Blue Sky Fund Explorers Program; painted and cleaned the Children’s Museum of Richmond; built, installed and repaired cages at the BARK dog adoption and rescue farm; and served dinners and greeted community members at the Boaz and Ruth Martin Luther King Jr. celebration.

During the rest of the year, Nunnally volunteers at E.S.H. Greene Elementary School in South Richmond, where she offers reading support to the children.

“I like working for AmeriCorps because it gives me the opportunity to work with different non-profit groups and learn about different areas of Richmond and discover resources that I didn’t know about before,” Nunnally said.

VCU AmeriCorps volunteer Joshua Russell usually spends his time helping children at Richmond’s Chimborazo Elementary School learn to read, but on Monday he was part of a crew that painted the walls of a computer lab used by children and community members at the Carver-VCU Partnership office. It was Russell’s first “Day On” experience.

“That office really serves as a community center for the Carver neighborhood. I thought it was important because as a public space, it doesn’t have to be dingy,” Russell said. “About a dozen of us from VCU AmeriCorps and West Broad Church of Christ took part. As we painted, we talked about Dr. King’s idea of a beloved community.”  

VCU AmeriCorps member Sarah Harris worked with secondary students at the Steward School, a private school in Henrico County. They created art to be displayed in Richmond’s Fairfield and Woodville elementary schools.

“The experience really made them aware of opportunities to serve. They realize that opportunities to help others are closer than you think,” Harris said.

Harris tutors children at Woodville throughout the year.

VCU’s AmeriCorps program is supported by the Division of Community Engagement.

“MLK Day 2010: Make it a Day On…Not a Day Off!” is also supported by The City of Richmond Volunteer Solutions, Hanover County Department of Community Resources, the Junior League of Richmond and the United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg.

There are still plenty of opportunities to volunteer throughout the year. For more information visit VCU's Caring to Act Calendar or Hands On Greater Richmond.