UPDATED: Gloucester Township MLK Day of Service Grows in Third Year

It started three years ago days before the Martin Luther King national holiday. Councilman Orlando Mercado wanted to organize volunteers for a day of service to honor the fallen civil rights champion.

Now in its third year, the Gloucester Township day of service continues to grow and continues to exceed expectations, officials said.

"It's an opportunity for people to get involved. It's nonpartisan. It's a chance for people to come out," Mercado said.

As of Sunday, Mercado said there were 282 registered participants. He said a large walkup crowd is also expected. 

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
DATE: Monday, January 20, 2014
LOCATION: Charles W. Lewis Middle School 
TIME: 8:30 A.M. Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:15 A.M. Program and Presentation
10:00 A.M. Departure for Day of Service activities 
12:00 P.M. Conclusion of Day of Service activities

Service Projects

• St. Vincent de Paul Society (Food Bank at St. Agnes Church) – organizing, inventory, collection of donations
• Living Word Food Pantry (Gloucester Twp Food Bank) - organizing, inventory, collection of food and clothing donations
• Gloucester Township Senior Campus Center – Zumba with the Seniors
• Camden County Animal Shelter – Assist in the care of sheltered animals. Please be aware that this will take place both indoors and outdoors.
• Cards for Soldiers – Creating cards to send to our brave men and women a card of hope and thanks
• PB & J for the Cathedral Kitchen in Camden – Make and deliver a take home snack for those in need
• Blenheim Fire Company – Help the men and women of the Fire Department with firehouse duties
• Gloucester Township Veterans Monument Cleanup – General cleanup of monument area
• Gloucester Township Scholarship Committee – Create signs for the annual 5K race
• Hats for the Homeless – Sort out and distribute new hats, scarves and gloves to the Cathedral Kitchen guests
• Soles4Souls - Through the collection and sale of used shoes, Soles4Souls helps create self-sustaining jobs that generate desperately needed revenues throughout improverished communities.
• Helping Our Neighbors – Collecting and sorting toiletries at Chews United Methodist (soap, toothpaste, chapstick, shampoo, etc.) for the Neighborhood Center in Camden
• Giggle Books: create small booklets with playful jokes, nursery rhymes, silly faces etc. Donate them to a hospital for children.
• Calling Cards for the Troops – sort and pack cell phone donations. An organization that will take the cell phones and convert our efforts in to calling cards for the troops.
• Lake Mathilda - Located in the Erial section of Gloucester Township, this campground has undergone extensive renovations over the last year. Service project entails cleaning of hte buildings and outside area. This is an outside activity.
• Gabreil Daveis Tavern - Located in the Glendora section of Gloucester Township, the tavern was built in 1756. Service project entails cleaning up the home and assisting in archiving old letters. Project is limited to ten volunteers - adults must accompany children.