BALTIMORE — Martin Luther King Day encouraged many people in the community to give back.
Showing admiration by cleaning up the neighborhood and dedicating a day of service was the mission for many city leaders and community organizations.
Dr. Ron Williams, who's a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, said many people partnered to dedicate a day of service in honor of Martin Luther King Day.
"A lot of us are from different areas, different backgrounds, different organizations, but we've united together to do it together," Williams said.
Dozens of people spent Monday morning and early afternoon picking up trash, cleaning the park and some alley ways near the Easterwood Park Recreation Center.
James Torrence, the councilman who leads district 7, said this event Wass hosted by Baltimore city's Department of Public Works, and it's the start of a new initiative to keep the city clean.
“Our men and women of DPW have been working hard to keep the city clean, but also we know they can’t do it alone and as community members we can actually pitch in. We’re kicking off b-more love, it is an empowerment and volunteering arm of DPW,” Torrence said.
Others like Katrina Shaw, who volunteered to participate in MLK Day of Service, said if we had more days like this of giving back, it could help strengthen communities.
“Martin Luther King day to me is oh my God, just giving back, he was excellent. Just a day of representing him and what he stood for, for our country,” Shaw said.
“A lot of things Dr. king stood for surrounded service, doing the right thing. That’s really what the community should be about, that’s what the city should be about, even this world. Coming together in unity when we come together there’s no limit to what we can do,” Williams said.
“So we got to do two parts, one is help clean up, but also leave something behind to say that we love and we esteem you,” Torrence said.
