Did you know that Martin Luther King Jr. was a scout? From ages 11—13, Mr. King was registered as a member of Troop 151 in Atlanta. His father, Martin Luther King Sr., was the troop’s chartered organization representative. Let’s get involved to honor our great scout and human leader!
Scouting America is proud to announce the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service emblem, designed to commemorate participation in the MLK National Day of Service. You’d be hard pressed to pick a better day to perform a Scout service project than on the Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service.
Signed into law in 1994, the MLK National Day of Service federal legislation challenges all Americans to use the MLK holiday as a day of volunteer service in honor of the civil rights icon.
MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service, when all Americans are encouraged to volunteer to improve their communities. It is one of two national days of service, along with the September 11 National Day of Service.
What kind of service projects would qualify?
I’m having a hard time thinking of a Scouting community service project that couldn’t be an MLK Day of Service project.
AmeriCorps, the federal agency that coordinates the MLK Day of Service, has a list of ideas, and anyone who has participated in a Scouting service project will recognize most of them:
- Serve meals at a homeless shelter.
- Deliver meals to members of your community who are homebound.
- Volunteer at a community garden.
- Plant trees, grass and flowers in your community.
- Volunteer at a local, state or national park.
- Pick up trash in your community.
- Support those recovering from natural disasters.
- Participate in a clothing or coat drive.
- Shovel snow, clear leaves or help with other yard maintenance tasks for an elderly neighbor.
For more information about this emblem, click on the following link – Now available at Scout Shop: the MLK Day of Service emblem