Live the dream, share the dream, BE the dream

On the third Monday of each January, volunteers across the nation come together to celebrate the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by engaging in a day of service. This tradition was born in 1994, when Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, which expanded the mission of the holiday as a day of community service, interracial cooperation, and youth anti-violence initiatives.

In this spirit, the 13th annual day of service at the University of South Carolina was held on Monday, Jan. 18. Sponsored by the Carolina Service Council and Community Service Programs, hundreds of volunteers completed thousands of service hours that will have a continuing positive impact on the community, all to honor Dr. King's dream.

The theme this year is "Live the dream, share the dream, be the dream." According to Carolina Service Council member and director of the MLK Day of Service, Laurie Graves, event organizers wanted to encourage students to participate not only in this one event but also make community service a part of their lives.

"It is important to realize that service and action are the two most effective ways by which we can continue to make Dr. King's dream a reality," says Graves.

The University of South Carolina's MLK week of observance kicked- off by celebrating Dr. King's life and legacy in a symposium at the School of Law on Wednesday, Jan. 13, with panelists including state politicians and city leaders. On Friday, Jan. 15, the annual commemorative MLK breakfast featured speaker Rev. Charles B. Jackson, Sr. from Brookland Baptist Church in Columbia.

The MLK Day of Service is priceless in terms of benefits it brings to the community, according to Graves, because it allows students and faculty to become familiar with different service opportunities in the Columbia area. On Monday, Jan. 18, 400 volunteers from the University gathered for a ceremony to remember Dr. King. Afterward, they moved to 18 community sites, where they volunteered for local non-profit organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, Home Works of America, and Reliant Hospice.

Community service has played an important role in Graves' career at USC, from discovering new opportunities and places in Columbia to meeting peers who have the same interests. Graves encourages students to find something that interests them and to volunteer with friends.

"Once you find a project that you enjoy and when you work on it with friends, community service can be fun and rewarding," says Graves.

Graves hopes that it will help people form connections and create ties within the community. "Through this day of service, we make efforts to unite the Columbia community to our Carolina community," she says.

For more information about Community Service Programs, visit www.sa.sc.edu/communityservice/