‘Day On, Not Off’ to serve community on MLK Day

For the first time in five years, eight groups totalling 120 participants participated  in the Archdiocese of New Orleans’ “Day On Not Off” Martin Luther King Jr. Day Jan. 16  – serving the community in various capacities. The Office of Black Catholic Ministries coordinated the day. Here is a teen reflection on what the day meant to Brother Martin senior Landon Reneau.

Landon Reneau
Senior
Brother Martin

The  day was a true reflection of what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of – a world filled with individuals of character providing service to others.

During the day of service, Brother Martin students planted trees throughout the open spaces of the historic Joseph M. Bartholomew Golf Course in hopes of bettering the environment and natural beauty of the historic Pontchartrain Park neighborhood.

This service project was much more than a day to get service hours for me. I was able to witness firsthand the innate goodness of those in my own community. The number of people from a multitude of different organizations who attended was shocking and served as a much-needed reminder that there are still good people existing in our community.

The very words that Dr. King spoke were being enacted: “Everybody can be great … because anybody can serve.”