22 Jan AmeriCorps Members Serve on MLK Day
Martin Luther King Day is observed each year on the third Monday in January. As the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service, it has become known as “a day on, not a day off” and encourages all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. AmeriCorps has been charged with leading this effort for the past quarter century, and the tradition continues on the island of Kaua’i.
This year on MLK Day our very own AmeriCorps service members Mary Regan, Joseph Burleigh and Karim Johnson as well as our Volunteer Program Manager Chelsea Crapser, spent the day working at the Limahuli Garden and Preserve, planting 25 Ohia trees and cleaning up a section of the native garden. The volunteers were fortunate enough to learn about native and endemic plants and how they were used by the Hawaiians. They also learned about invasive species and some of the conservation efforts being used by the National Tropical Botanical Garden.
Some highlights from their day of service included meeting Uncle Moku and Aunty Lahela and receiving a nice tour given by one of the horticulture technicians named Angie, who also coordinated the work day. It was a special day and seemed to be enjoyed by all.