Martin Luther King Jr. Day

A Day of Community Service   

More than fifty years ago, Dr. King singled out the Girl Scout Movement as "a force for desegregation."  We are still a powerful force for equality and positive change as we develop the leadership skills of nearly two and a half million girls from every race and every walk of life.  Our girls teach people to read, clothe and comfort the homeless, establish medical clinics, found libraries, and much more. Through their individual acts of compassionate public service, they continue Dr. King's work of transforming our world.

Since it first became a national holiday twenty five years ago, the Girl Scouts have observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a day of community service. Troops throughout the nation have organized a wide variety of community service projects, from serving food at homeless shelters to painting murals at community centers.  We want to congratulate all of you involved in these projects, and urge everyone in the Movement to seek out, this coming Monday, an opportunity to serve others.

Commemoration is a fine thing, but we best honor and celebrate Dr. King's life by following his example. He is gone now, and it is up to us to make the world a better place.

Follow the link for opportunities in your area! http://action.2013pic.org/service

Girl Scouts can share pictures of your service activities on Instagram @gscnc.volunteers new to this project.

Some MLK Day Girl Scout Events from the past include:

GSCNC members, including our two teen board members and a DC junior girl scout, enjoyed a lively and educational Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Breakfast on January 14, 2012 hosted by the United Planning Organization. Pictured are girl scouts with DC Mayor Gray. Speaker themes included investing in the future of our youth and spreading community service and your passions to do good. Very proud of girl scouts continuing and fostering many programs and passions to make the world a better place.

Brownie Troop 766 Attended MLK Event in Bethesda MD. Girls learned how to make items for many organizations like Children's Inn-something for their mailboxes daily, Chinese New Year cards for children, and hats for the homeless and learned The girls learned a lot about MLK. Photographer: Julie Mulkey

Daisy Troop 4204 from Gaithersburg, MD volunteered and made crafts at the MLK Day of Service at the Bethesda Marriott Conference Center. Photographer: Rebecca Matthews

Troop 5625 - Cadettes volunteered making blankets for Montgomery Hospice on Martin Luther King day of service. Photographer: Anna Hogenkamp

Posted: Jan 18, 2013