C.O. volunteers honor Dr. King on MLK Day of Service

More than 170 Central Oregon volunteers turned out Monday for the seventh annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service to contribute more than 500 hours of service.

Nonprofits across Central Oregon in Bend, Prineville and Redmond hosted 15 projects for volunteers to help paint, build, arrange flowers, craft valentines, make dog beds and more.

Volunteer Connect organizes the holiday event, which took place from 9 a.m. to noon. Among the beneficiaries: Volunteers made dog beds for Fences for Fido, cleaned and painted at NeighborImpact and processed and arranged flowers into bouquets for The Bloom Project.

“We are honored to facilitate this event and are always so proud that members of our community volunteer on MLK Day,” said Katya Spiecker, Volunteer Connect’s program coordinator. “Empowering individuals to make a difference while supporting nonprofits and their missions is what this day is all about.”

The Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday is the only federal holiday observed as a day of service — a “day on, not a day off.” Over the past seven years, more than 1,900 volunteers in Central Oregon have donated their time to local nonprofits on MLK Day.

Volunteering Year Round

Volunteer Connect encourages the public and those who volunteered on MLK Day to contribute to their communities throughout the year. With over 300 volunteer opportunities on its website from 150 partner nonprofits, there are plenty of ways to get involved and give back year round.

Volunteer Connect Mission

Volunteer Connect links community members with rewarding volunteer opportunities to enhance Central Oregon. It partners with non-profit and public organizations to recruit and connect volunteers, matching volunteer interests and skills with community needs.

To volunteer or learn more, visit http://www.volunteerconnectnow.org.