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Media contacts: Terri Jack, Washington Service Coprs, 360-486-5907
                           Bill Tarrow, deputy communications director, 360-902-9376

OLYMPIA – The Washington Service Corps, a branch of the state Employment Security Department, will participate in an array of Martin Luther King Jr. Day events beginning on Jan. 15 in communities across Washington.

The events include food and clothing drives, environmental restoration projects and special commemorative activities about Martin Luther King Jr.

“Dr. King believed everybody could achieve greatness through service,” said Paul Trause, commissioner of the Employment Security Department.  “The Washington Service Corps embodies that belief, and it is fitting that we honor his legacy.”

The Washington Service Corps gives civically minded adults, ages 17 and older, an opportunity to serve their communities.  The program is administered by the Employment Security Department.  For more information about Washington Service Corps and AmeriCorps-funded programs, visit https://washingtonservicecorps.org/. 

MLK Day events are listed below, alphabetically by county.  The public is invited to all events, except for those marked with an asterisk (*).

Benton and Franklin counties 
Project title:  Fire-prevention outreach 
Day:  Jan. 15 and Jan. 17
Time:  8:30 a.m. (both days)
City: Kennewick, Richland, Pasco and Prosser
Contact: Evan Brennan at 509-783-6195; outreach@bfredcross.org

Event: Service Corps members will work with the American Red Cross to distribute 10,000 fire-prevention door hangers and other materials to communities and neighborhoods in Benton and Franklin counties.

Chelan County
Day:  Jan. 15
Time:  9 a.m.
City: Wenatchee
Contact: Toby Haberlockat 509-662-6156; tobyh@intermountainac.com

Event: Service Corps members will be spending the day at several Wenatchee assisted-living facilities and senior centers entertaining seniors with music and signing, doing craft projects and helping residents with basic tasks.

Clallam County
Project title:  Habitat for Humanity
Day:  Jan. 17
Time:  9 a.m.
City: Port Townsend 
Contact: Habitat for Humanity; 360-379-2827; habitat@olympus.net

Event: Service Corps members will assist the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity on several construction projects in Port Townsend.

King County
Project title:  Get outside this MLK Day!
Day:  Jan. 17
Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
City: Redmond 
Contact:  Rachel Maranto at 206-849-4406; rachel.maranto@kingcounty.gov

Event: Service Corps members will plant live willow stakes and remove Himalayan Blackberry to improve habitat along the Sammamish River (near Lake Sammamish) for spawning salmon.

Project title:  Shoreline public meeting outreach  
Day:  Jan. 17
Time:  8:15 a.m.
City: Shoreline 
Contact:  Jill Ruckerat 206-801-2256; jrucker@shorelinewa.gov

Event: In collaboration with the Western Washington Girl Scouts, 10 Service Corps VISTA members will distribute flyers about a public meeting on disaster preparedness.

Project title:  West Side Baby inventory*
Day:  Jan. 14
Time:  9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
City:  White Center
Contact: Whitney Hunt at 206-767-1662

Event: Service Corps members will help West Side Baby staff sort donations received during the holidays and fill orders from community-based organizations for needy mothers-to-be.  

Project title:  Building a shed on solid ground
Day:  Jan. 17
Time: 9 a.m.
City:  Seattle
Contact: Andy Varyu at 425-869-6007, ext 247; andyv@habitatekc.org

Event: Service Corps members will team up with Habitat for Humanity to build a garden shed for a community farm in South Seattle.   

Kitsap County
Project title:  Bremerton concert and food drive
Day:  Jan. 17
Time: Call for details
City:Bremerton
Contact:  Liz Snyder at 360-943-0780, ext. 132; lzsnyder@communityyouthservices.org

Event:  Service Corps members will collect canned-food donations that are required for admission to the community concert.  

Lewis County
Project title: Clothing and blanket drive
Day:  Jan. 15, Jan 17
Time:  Jan. 15 at Sunbirds, 11 a.m.– 4 p.m.; Jan 17 at Bethel Church
City:  Chehalis
Contact:  Danille Kettel at 360-943-0780, ext. 100; dkettel@communityyouthservices.org

Event:  Service Corps memberswill gather items at local businesses for the needy and “Stuff a Bus” with donations in front of the Sunbird’s store in Chehalis.  The donations will be disbursed to community members in need at Bethel Church on January 17.

Mason County
Project title:  Hood Canal Elementary students at Wolf Haven
Day:  Jan. 17
Time:  10 a.m.–4 p.m.
City:Shelton
Contact:  Danille Kettel at 360-943-0780, ext. 100; dkettel@communityyouthservices.org

Event:  Students from Hood Canal School and Service Corps members are participating in service projects at Wolf Haven that include trail clearing and outdoor clean-up.  Service Corps members will also lead students in reflection activities.  Students have raised money to support the Adopt-a-Wolf program at Wolf Haven.  

Okanogan County 
Project title:  Kid camps
Day: Jan. 17
Time:  1 p.m.
City:  Tonasket
Contact:  Julie O’Neal at 509-775-3311; joneal@co.stevens.wa.us

Event: Volunteers will assist at kid camps in Tonasket and Republic.  The program will include lessons on diversity.

Pierce County
Project title: Painting at Tyee Park Elementary School
Day: Jan. 17
Time:  Starts at 9 a.m. and runs until the murals are complete.
City:  Lakewood
Contact:  Danille Kettel at 360-943-0780, ext. 100; dkettel@communityyouthservices.org

Event: Service Corps members have constructed 2 canvases for diversity and literacy murals that students will paint on MLK Day.  It will be hung at Tyee Park Elementary. 

Project title: MLK literacy carnival 
Day: Jan. 17
Time:  8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
City:  Parkland
Contact:  Danille Kettel at 360-943-0780, ext. 100; dkettel@communityyouthservices.org

Event: Service Corps members will host a MLK Literacy Carnival for select students from two schools in Pierce County.  

Snohomish County 
Project title:  Martin Luther King Jr. day of service
Day:  Jan. 17
Time:  9 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
City:  Everett, WA
Contact: Amber Lynn Daniel at 425-374-5526; youthunited@uwsc.org

Event: The United Way of Snohomish County will teach young adults the value of community service by assisting a senior adult in Snohomish County with yard work and indoor cleaning projects.  Service Corps members will help youths register for the event and provide transportation and supervision.   The event is open for volunteers, but they must be teens age 14-19.  They must also pre-register and fill out a waiver.

Spokane County
Project title:  Martin Luther King Jr. gospel concert
Day:  Jan. 15-16
Time: 6–8 p.m.
City:  Spokane
Contacts:  Don Young at 509-789-3704;  dyoung@esd101.net  

Event:  Service Corps members will assist with parking, ushering and coat-checking during the concert and commemorative program.    

Project title:  Resource fair at Riverpark Square
Day:  Jan. 17
Time: 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
City:  Spokane
Contacts:  Don Young at 509-789-3704; dyoung@esd101.net  

Event:  Service Corps members will help set up and staff booths at the Children’s Resource Fair at Bus Plaza.  

Thurston County
Project title:  MLK Day of Environmental Action
Day: Jan. 17
Time:  9 a.m.–1 p.m.
City:  Olympia at Green Cove Wetlands on Kaiser Road 
Contact: Guy Maguire at 360-943-3012; guym@capitollandtrust.org

Event: Service Corps members will plant native shrubs, monitor water quality and learn to identify native plants and birds. 

Project title:  Olympia food drive
Day: Jan. 17
Time: 9 a.m.
City:  Olympia
Contact: Danille Kettle at360-943-0780, ext. 100; dkettel@communityyouthservices.org

Event: Service Corps members will sort food donations at the Thurston County Food Bank.

Project title:  Collection day for homeless youths 
Day:  Jan. 17 
Time:  9 a.m.
City:  Olympia
Contact:  Danille Kettel at 360-943-0780, ext. 100; dkettel@communityyouthservices.org

Event:  Service Corps members are collecting coats, flashlights, tarps, ropes, sleeping bags and other travel gear for homeless youths to be disbursed on MLK Day.

Walla Walla County
Project title:  Meza-family community workday
Day:  Jan. 17
Time:  9 a.m.–4 p.m.
City: Walla Walla 
Contact:   Kirsten Sayers at 509-529-4980; kristens@bmacww.org

Event:  On Oct. 10, Mari Meza lost her youngest daughter and all her personal items in a house fire.  Service Corps members will help remove debris, salvage materials and restore some personal items. 

Whatcom County
Project title:  Whatcom Creek work party
Day:  Jan. 17
Time:  10 a.m.–1 p.m.
City: Whatcom Creek in Bellingham
Contact:  Lindsay Taylor at 360-715-0283; ltaylor@n-sea.org

Event:  The Washington Service Corps, in partnership with Bellingham Parks & Recreation and the Washington Conservation Corps, will restore streamside habitat for salmon and other wildlife along Whatcom Creek.  Event is open to the public.

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