MLK Day Service Projects: How To Help In Ellicott City

Kristin Danley-Greiner
Updated ·6 min read

ELLICOTT CITY, MD — Martin Luther King Jr. Day has been designated by groups and organizations nationwide as “a day on” since the third Monday of January was designated a national holiday in memory of the late civil rights icon. Even during the coronavirus pandemic, there are ways to make a positive difference in Ellicott City on the Jan. 18 holiday this year.

Organized service projects have taken the place of the traditional work or school holiday in recent years. But in 2021, restrictions in place to slow the further spread of the coronavirus are impacting the ability to perform some good deeds.

  • A county-wide day of service to honor Dr. King’s life and legacy will take place as part of the Howard County Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission’s annual celebration in partnership with the Volunteer Center Serving Howard County and community organizations across Howard County. The opening ceremony begins at 9 a.m. at the Ascend One building, 8930 Stanford Blvd, Columbia. Several organizations will have on-site volunteer opportunities and activities for individuals and families between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

  • CrossFit ReVamped, 9385 Washington Blvd. Suite B-C,Columbia, will be serving the homeless community by stuffing baggies full of non-perishable food, toiletry items, baby wipes, hats, gloves and socks. Please bring donations to the gym on or before Monday. Baggies will be packed at 5 p.m. Jan. 20. The Howard County Police Department and representative Officer Russ will be delivering the baggies to the homeless.

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, the Office of Human Rights and Equity (OHRE) and the Howard County Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission invite you to join them for multiple events this weekend. On Friday there will be a pop-up food pantry from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Ridgely Run Community Center, located at 8400 Mission Road in Jessup, to distribute food to those in need. On Sunday there will be a virtual celebration of the life and legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., followed by a day of service on Monday with a series of virtual workshops beginning at 10 a.m. On Monday there also will be a pop-up food drive from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at multiple locations. For a list of collection locations and items in need, visit www.tinyurl.com/HOCOMLKDAY

“This year’s celebration and service is a testament to Dr. King's legacy, bringing together a diverse community that is inspired by his words and activated by his ideals," Ball said in a statement. “Let's carry that dedication to helping others, uplifting our neighbors, and pursuing solutions that support our most vulnerable throughout this entire year. This year the celebration and events look different. However, while we are staying COVID safe, Howard County and the Commission have continued the tradition of celebrating Dr. King by highlighting young people in our community who understand, appreciate and live by the foundation that Dr. King built during his lifetime."

This family-friendly, multi-cultural event will include performances by diverse community groups and recognition of the 2020 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Living the Dream” award recipients and student essay, oratory and poster contest winners.

“Dr. King had a major impact on the current conversation we are having in our country around equity and racial inequities. We must lift up his legacy and promote his teachings, now more than ever,” said Tracey L. Williams, Howard County Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission chair.

The “Living the Dream” Award honors an individual and an organization who exemplify the work and legacy of Dr. King. This year’s honorees are Ani Begay Auld and the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Howard County for their devotion to the community. For the student essay, oratory and poster contests, students were asked to reflect upon Dr. King’s statement, and this year’s contest theme, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

For the essay and oratory contests, middle and high school students discussed a time when they took a stand against injustice and the impact of their actions. For the poster contest, elementary school students composed an original piece of artwork that showed their interpretation of the theme. The contest winners are as follows:

Essay Contest: Middle School

  • 1st Place – Jordyn A. Bennett, 8th Grade, Lake Elkhorn Middle School

  • 2nd Place – Sarah KC – 8th Grade, Harper's Choice Middle School

  • 3rd Place – Teresa Cherian, 8th Grade, Bonnie Branch Middle School and Briana Eggleston, 6th Grade, Harper's Choice Middle School

Essay Contest: High School

  • 1st Place – Rebecca Donovan, 10th Grade, Centennial High School

  • 2nd Place – Mira Shah, 9th Grade, Howard High School

  • 3rd Place – Corina Tarhon, 10th Grade, Reservoir High School

Oratory Contest: Middle School

  • 1st Place – Ajala Khanal, 8th Grade, Oakland Mills Middle School

  • 2nd Place – Jaidyn Augustine, 7th Grade, Mount View Middle School

Oratory Contest: High School

  • 1st Place – Brian Ihejurobi, 12th Grade, Wilde Lake High School

  • 2nd Place – Samya Miles, 10th Grade, Wilde Lake High School

Poster Contest

  • 1st Place – Neil Deepak, 4th Grade, Ilchester Elementary School

  • 2nd Place – Dalia Kintisch, 4th Grade, Thunder Hill Elementary School

  • 3rd Place – Nika Guth, 5th Grade, Bollman Bridge Elementary School

Residents are encouraged to participate in the county’s “Day of Service Across Howard County” project Monday. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s event will be different from year’s past. On Jan. 18, OHRE and the commission will be hosting a number of virtual events, ranging from HopeWorks of Howard County’s “The ‘I Can I Will’ Create Peace” workshop to a screening and panel discussion on the documentary, Unbreathable: The Fight for Healthy Air. To learn more about these events and more, visit www.tinyurl.com/HOCOMLKDAY.

In addition to Monday’s virtual events, OHRE and the commission will also be hosting a food donation drive at grocery stores throughout the county. For a list of collection locations and items in need, visit www.tinyurl.com/HOCOMLKDAY.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, communities across the country held large events in various locations promoting service on the holiday.

Those have included Highland Park, Illinois, where the local human relations advisory group usually draws about 1,200 people every year to a service program that has turned into one of the city’s signature yearly events.

This year, the city will hold a virtual program to “honor the legacy of Dr. King's fight against inequity and his work to secure a just future for all,” Amanda Civitello, communications manager for the city of Highland Park, said in a news release.

Even if there aren’t any organized service projects planned nearby, there are several other ways to help those in need in or near Ellicott City.

Donating to nonprofit organizations, volunteering with food banks and pantries, and delivering meals and groceries to seniors are a few suggestions outlined by the national volunteer program AmeriCorps.

A list of organizations supporting COVID-19 response efforts had been made available by the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.

This article originally appeared on the Ellicott City Patch