Governor O’Malley Encourages Community Service

Governor Martin O’Malley joined partners and community members from across the state at a rally Sept. 11 to kick off Maryland’s 2013 Day to Serve, a two week initiative that encourages all Marylanders to participate in service projects to help their neighbors, their communities and the environment.

“Starting Sept. 15, we’ll work together as a community – as Marylanders and Virginians, West Virginians and Washingtonians – to harness the incredible power of service,” O’Malley said. “Marylanders are a compassionate, generous people who know the way forward can be found by helping our neighbors in need. For the second year in a row, we encourage all our citizens to join us in recognizing the connections between the health of our people, and the health of our land, water and air. Together, we can eradicate hunger, and protect and restore our environment.”

From Sept. 15 to Sept. 29, Marylanders, along with our neighbors in Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C., will participate in hunger relief, environmental relief, community service and other projects.

In 2012, Day to Serve was a huge success in Maryland, with more than 4,700 volunteers contributing more than 12,000 hours to 200 service events. The 2013 Day to Serve event will surpass 2012’s success – already 275 events are scheduled for the 2013 Day to Serve.

“We should want the best for others as we want the best for ourselves. The Day to Serve provides an opportunity for human-beings to show their humanity,” said Imam Hassan A. Amin, Executive Director of Muslim Social Service Agency and a Chaplain at Johns Hopkins University.

“The Empowering Believers Church was blessed to participate in A Day To Serve in 2012. This year we are expanding our prayer garden and planting more trees,” said Apostle Larry Lee Thomas of Empowering Believers Church. “We are looking forward to continue to make an impact on lifting up the awareness of hunger and caring for our environment. It’s time to sound the alarm! It’s time to get involved!”

“In the vocabulary of Jewish values, service is also worship,” said Rabbi Shulman, President of the Baltimore Jewish Council. “Through our good works on behalf of others we express the goodness and hopes of our faith ideals. In serving and aiding others we demonstrate what we believe about ourselves and the community in which we live.”

For information on how to participate in Day to Serve, or to find a project, visit www.daytoserve.org.

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