"King Day is not a day off but a day on."- Coretta Scott King

For the fourth year in a row, Arshay Cooper, the A Most Beautiful Thing Inclusion Fund, and a heap of rowing programs are asking the rowing community to join them in a 'Day On' MLK Day (week) of Service to honor the 38th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

MLK Day occurs on the third Monday of January each year; this year it falls on Monday, January 15.

Cooper himself will be working with his hometown friends in the Chicago rowing community, while several others are already committed.

Lake Merritt Rowing Club, Oakland, CA will be participating in a lake and surrounding areas cleanup; Xavier University of Louisiana in the Xavier Rowing Club Kickoff and Community Event on January 19th; Dallas United Crew in a shoreline clean up on White Rock Lake; and Canal Dock Boathouse, New Haven, CT will be bringing together the community in their Harbor to help clean the shoreline; Brown and Princeton crews will be participating, and it is possible even if you are a bit out of position; Princeton is doing their efforts while on their training trip in Florida next weekend.

"Service, on this day, has always been a part of my life and job," Cooper said. "Growing up watching professional basketball and football, the thing that struck me most was the commercial break with NBA Cares and NFL Cares foundations. It definitely changed some of my thoughts on professional athletes after watching their service to others.

"With that, I am working on 'Day On' to show that Rowing Cares. After 3 years of hosting this, the rowing community has impacted many schools, shelters, parks, rivers, and communities. Please join us!!!"

To share your efforts, use hashtag Rowers MLK Day of Service

For the past several years members of my own family have been volunteering with Meals on Wheels in Trenton, both delivering meals and participating in a 'Friendly Visiting Program' in which volunteers call and visit with MOW recipients who are interested in weekly calls and/or visits; we have met some extraordinary people who have become close family friends. I will be dedicating my route this week to the AMBTIF effort.

Volunteering is often easier than it seems, although it is worth mentioning that getting a little bit ahead of any planned efforts can be helpful to give organizations time to prepare for your participation.

If you need ideas, AMBTIF offers the following suggestions, as well as encouragement to commit to the effort by sending your plans to AMBTIF, and a hashtag to use on social media:

How:

-Reach out to local organizations to identify a community partner.
-Research creative service ideas that involve your whole team.
-Commit! Complete the Google Form to let us know your plans.
-Get your team excited and spread the word!
-Use hashtag #rowersmlkdayofservice

Who - Organizations to consider:

-American Red Cross
-Boys & Girls Clubs
-City Year
-Dept of Sanitation
-Habitat for Humanity
-Key Club
-Meals on Wheels
-The Humane Society
-YMCA
-Local food banks and public schools

What:

-Clean up community public spaces
-Collect and donate food or school supplies
-Collect and distribute books, read to children
-Make cards to be shared
-Package and serve food
-Paint fences, playgrounds, courts, fields
-Provide homework help

Download the flyer here:

Get your squad together and give a hand in your community