Published January 18, 2019

MELROSE — On Monday, January 21, join the City of Melrose and the Melrose Human Rights Commission as we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Annual Day of Service will begin at the Melrose Unitarian Universalist Church, 70 West Emerson Street at 9:30 a.m. You will have an opportunity to sign up for a project and enjoy a light breakfast generously provided by the Melrose YMCA.

Activities at different locations in the city will be from 10 a.m. – noon. When you sign up, please let us know if you will be returning to the Melrose Unitarian Universalist Church for pizza at 12:15 p.m. provided by the Melrose Human Rights Commission from Gabriella’s Pizza in Melrose.

The Day of Service Activities include, but are not limited to: clean the Melrose Public Library; talk to residents at The Residence at Melrose Station; bake cookies and meals for Bread of Life Food Pantry at Highlands Congregational Church; make a kindness rock for the Melrose Public Library Kindness Rock Garden, hand out Melrose car magnets at Shaw’s, collect food donations for pantries at Shaw’s; attend an adult discussion on Indigenous Peoples Day or Housing and Diversity in Melrose at the UU Church by the group “White People Challenging Racism”.

The Temple Beth Shalom is collecting clothes, blankets, magazines, making cards for patients at Melrose Wakefield Hospital, and holding English as a Second Language tutor class. The Methodist Church will be collecting and sorting crayons for Tufts New England Floating Hospital and DCF families. The 7 Mile Road Church will be collecting items for packages sent to military people serving overseas, and making get well and Valentine’s Day cards for veterans at the Bedford VA Hospital. Complete details will be posted and updated on the Melrose Human Rights Facebook page along with the list of items needed for the troop packages.

At 5 p.m. on Monday, join us at the First Congregational Church, 121 West Foster Street for the 24th Annual MLK Day Potluck Dinner and celebration. We ask that you provide a main dish or dessert that serves 4-6 people (or more). Please list the ingredients and bring serving utensils. The program following dinner will be from 6-8 p.m. and include Blue of a Kind, and keynote speaker, Emmet G. Price, III Ph. D. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Melrose Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.