This Martin Luther King Day, community members from all around Lafayette are joining together for a wide-scale act of service on the Northside.
King himself collaborated with other activists on legendary initiatives such as the Montgomery Bus Boycotts and the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where he gave his famous “I Have a Dream” Speech.
Saturday, Jan. 13, features a city-wide day of service organized by the Lafayette Habitat for Humanity, the MLK Holiday Committee, Lafayette Consolidated Government and Parish Proud.
The initiative includes eight projects across the Northside including:
- Martin Luther King Center and Corridor Center Clean Up in the Oasis Coterie neighborhoods
- Community House Refresh in McComb-Veazey
- Cemetery Cleaning & Painting in the LaPlace/Fightinville
- Garfield Green Up and Garden Bed Restoration in Freetown
Interested in volunteering? Sign up here.
Monday, Jan. 15, the Martin Luther King Jr., Holiday Committee hosts its annual celebratory program at the MLK Recreation Center. The event kicks off with a prayer breakfast at 8:30 AM with speakers Dr. Courtney N. Phillips, former Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Dr. Antoine Keller, a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon. Other programs on the agenda include:
- Health Screening and Community Exhibits/Booths (9:45 a.m. – 1:30 p.m)
- Food and cooking demonstration, group exercise and a youth roundtable panel (10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)
- Barbeque Plate Lunch Sale from Laura’s II Restaurant (11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.)
- Evening Commemorative Program with Rep. Troy A. Carter (6:00 p.m.)