While some people had Martin Luther King Day off, it was business as usual for AmeriCorps members as they assisted in community projects during a government-designated National Day of Service.

Approximately 125 volunteers worked at nine sites throughout Cedar Rapids, performing jobs such as mucking and gutting homes in the Flood Zone, clerical work for organizations and even some cooking. The day of service actually encompassed two days this year, Saturday, Jan. 16 and Monday, Jan. 18.

But speakers at a ceremony held Monday morning at Mount Mercy College’s Hennessey Recreation Center say the commitment to helping others should go beyond just one or even two days.

“I…call upon the people of Cedar Rapids to join their fellow citizens in recognizing, celebrating and participating in this special observance,” said Mayor Ron Corbett, who issued a proclamation. “Not only do I celebrate with you on this special day, but I will live that commitment each and every day as mayor.

Dr. Christopher Blake, president of Mount Mercy College, said he hoped the day would inspire work performed in the future.

“It can be argued and probably correctly that one day is not enough,” he said. “That kind of a calling is something that should infuse our whole lives, and our sense of what we can do to contribute to the world around us.”

And local NAACP chapter president Dedric Doolin challenged those in attendance to live out “the dream” that Dr. King famously shared with America nearly 50 years ago.

“The dream is that we can make this place a better place for everybody,” according to Doolin. “I want to encourage you to think in context of it’s not just Dr. King’s dream, it’s the American dream.”

Mount Mercy College assisted the Community Corrections Improvement Association and its AmeriCorps programs in organizing the event. In addition to hosting the ceremony, the school also provided volunteers.

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