Many years ago, when the Board of Education announced plans to close schools in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, we strenuously objected. We believed – and continue to do so – that our students could learn more about Dr. King and his ideals in school than they would having a day off.But then, some time ago, one of our readers, Patricia Idrobo, came up with the idea of creating “A Day On, Not A Day Off.” She organized many community groups and mobilized a cadre of kids to go to the high school cafeteria to perform a variety of community services and it was a great success. The cafeteria was filled with tables at which people were working on behalf of others. It was a joy to see, and helped to demonstrate to our children the lessons Dr. King taught. At the end of the collection, there was also a brief educational component which helped to teach Dr. King’s ideals.This year, the Day of Service will be held on Monday, January 17. Virtual programs will include an arts and crafts project, a cooking presentation, and speeches by members of the community. All will be viewable at Facebook.com/LCDINJ. Service project collections will be run by a number of local grounds, including the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest, Livingston Kiwanis Club, Lion’s Club, Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors, West Essex YMCA, Young Men’s Service League of Livingston, Livingston Police Department, League of Women Voters, Girl Scouts, and National Charity League.The collections will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. at Livingston Town Hall. Full details on these events and what is being collected can be found in an article elsewhere in this edition of the Tribune.The Livingston Committee for Diversity and Inclusion, the organizer of the “Day On, Not A Day Off,” should be commended for their efforts, especially given the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year’s event was paired down in size compared to past years, and this year sees the event continuing to ramp back up, which we are thrilled to see.The MLK Day of Service is truly one of – if not the – day that best exemplifies Livingston’s reputation as a community of volunteers. There is so much good that comes as a result of it, and we should all be grateful for the hard work done by the volunteers. It is a commendable ...
