MLK Day Of Service: Volunteers To Take Part In Hundreds Of Projects Throughout The Region
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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- One of the signature Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day events in our area took place at Girard College in North Philadelphia. More than 5,000 volunteers served in more than 100 projects.
Thousands of volunteers spent their Monday living Dr. Martin Luther King's vision.
Mayor Jim Kenney, Senator Bob Casey and Gov. Tom Wolf were among the many attending the Global Citizen event, part of the largest MLK service effort in the United States.
"I want to raise [my kids] in a household where volunteering is just something that's totally normal for them, that the don't even think twice about doing, it's just natural," volunteer Adrienne Turner said.
This is the 10th consecutive year the event has been held at Girard College. The theme of this year's discussion is a candid conversation about gun violence in Philadelphia.
"I just wanted to be able to support families that were going through the same thing that I've been through, as far as losing loved ones to gun violence," founder of Mothers Bounded by Grief Terrece McClery said.
McClery lost her 21-year-old daughter Tamara. She's seeking solutions to ending the violence among the city's youth.
"It still gives us hope, as cruel as today's world is, it still gives us a little bit of hope," McClery said of MLK day.
Monday also served as a chance for not only seasoned volunteers, but first-timers to get involved.
"Just to give back to the community, learn about what's going on and remember your history so you can be a better person moving forward," volunteer Sean Young said.