R 071742Z JAN 10

ALCOAST 010/10
COMDTNOTE 12990
SUBJ: MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY OF SERVICE - 18 JANUARY 2010
1. INITIATED BY CONGRESS IN 1994, THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY OF
SERVICE TRANSFORMS THE FEDERAL HOLIDAY HONORING DR. KING INTO A
NATIONAL DAY OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. THE DAY OF SERVICE HAS GROWN
STEADILY FROM A LOCAL PROJECT TO A NATIONWIDE MOVEMENT, WHICH
PERPETUATES THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF DR. KING.
2. AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS, DHS EMPLOYEES ARE ENCOURAGED TO
PARTICIPATE IN VOLUNTARY ACTS OF SERVICE ON MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
DAY. INSTEAD OF SEEING 18 JANUARY 2010 AS JUST A DAY OFF FROM
SCHOOL OR WORK, THE DAY OF SERVICE SEEKS TO MAKE THE HOLIDAY A DAY
ON, WHERE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS CAN COME TOGETHER TO
STRENGTHEN THEIR COMMUNITY, BRIDGE SOCIAL BARRIERS, AND MOVE OUR
NATION CLOSER TO THE BELOVED COMMUNITY THAT DR. KING ENVISIONED.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, AND TO LOCATE MLK DAY VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
IN YOUR AREA, GO TO WWW.MLKDAY.GOV OR WWW.SERVE.GOV.
3. DHS WILL SPONSOR A TEAM ON MLK DAY AGAIN THIS YEAR FOR DC-AREA
EMPLOYEES. THE FOCUS WILL BE ON ENGAGING YOUTH IN SERVICE,
EMPOWERING YOUNG PEOPLE TO TAKE THEIR EDUCATION A STEP FURTHER TO
BECOME ADVOCATES WITHIN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS WHILE, AT THE SAME
TIME, MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. PARTICIPANTS WILL
BE ABLE TO VOLUNTEER FOR A MORNING OR AFTERNOON SHIFT (9AM-12PM OR
2PM-5PM) ON PROJECTS IN MD, VA, AND DC. TO JOIN TEAM DHS, GO TO
HTTP://MLK2010.KINTERA.ORG/FAF/HOME/DEFAULT.ASP, SELECT REGISTER
HERE, FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS TO JOIN A TEAM, AND SELECT TEAM DHS.
THERE IS A 25 DOLLARS PER PERSON REGISTRATION FEE THAT COVERS THE
COSTS OF THE EVENT. QUESTIONS MAY BE DIRECTED TO MR. TERRY HILL,
DHS VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR, AT TERRENCE.HILL(AT)DHS.GOV.
4. EMPLOYEES AND MILITARY MEMBERS WHO ARE CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN
VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO CREATE A RECORD OF THEIR
VOLUNTEER SERVICE HOURS BY REGISTERING WITH THE PRESIDENTS SERVICE
AWARD WEBSITE HTTP://PRESIDENTIALSERVICEAWARDS.GOV, SELECT TRACK
YOUR HOURS TO CREATE AN ONLINE RECORD OF SERVICE FOLLOWING THE
INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED. THE GROUP CODE FOR THE COAST GUARD IS
RNP-224X.
5. MR. CURTIS B. ODOM, DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, SENDS.
6. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.