News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 11, 2001
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Gov. Locke calls on citizens to make the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday 'a day on, not a day off'

OLYMPIA - Gov. Gary Locke is calling on citizens to make Monday (Jan. 15) "a day on, not a day off" by volunteering in their communities to honor the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"At the heart of Dr. King's philosophy was the idea of service," Locke said. "Each of us can commemorate this day by putting Dr. King's philosophy into action."

Locke issued a proclamation recognizing Jan. 15 as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, and will spend his "day on" hanging drywall in a Habitat for Humanity house in Tacoma.

"You can make a difference in your neighborhood and your community," Locke added. "No service project is too small."

Dr. King said, "Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve... You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love, and you can be that servant."

King's widow, Coretta Scott King, wrote, "The greatest birthday gift my husband could receive is if people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds celebrated the holiday by performing individual acts of kindness through service to others."

Four Northwest companies helped the governor announce his call to service by funding radio and television public service announcements, letters accompanying state employees' paychecks, a poster distributed to businesses and schools statewide, and announcements in several community papers.

Locke extends his thanks to Eddie Bauer, Inc., SAFECO Corporation, COSTCO and Washington Mutual Bank, saying, "I appreciate the financial contributions from these businesses. Their generosity helps emphasize the importance of this call to service and highlight opportunities for volunteers to help people in communities all across our state."

Locke also encourages Washington citizens to learn more about this day of service and volunteer opportunities by clicking on the Martin Luther King, Jr. icon on his homepage (www.governor.wa.gov).

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