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Politics & Government

Commemorating MLK Jr. Day Around Bay Area

Organizations throughout Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties are providing ways to give back Jan. 16

Monday marks Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and several nearby cities have called for a “Day of Service” to commemorate the civil rights leader’s life.

Los Gatos Patch has compiled a list of events planned for the MLK weekend.

Community Clean Up

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When/Where: Monday, 12:30-2 p.m.; Day Worker Center, 113 Escuela Ave., Mountain View

To honor Dr. King’s vision of serving communities, the Day Worker Center of Mountain View is organizing residents to pick up trash and beautify the community. Volunteers are needed.

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Cost: Free.

Family Service Day

When/Where: Monday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; Lytton Plaza, University Ave. and Emerson St., Palo Alto

Youth Community Service teams up with the City of Palo Alto and other organizations to host a day of service projects, live music, and open mic performances featuring community artists.

Cost: Free

Community Compost Day at the Homeless Garden Project

When/Where: Monday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; 0 Shaffer Rd., Santa Cruz

Take a tour of the Natural Bridges Farm, churn the compost, weed, clear out beds for new crops, and participate in the overall clean up of this bountiful three-acre farm.

Cost: Free

Graffiti Removal Paint Out

When/Where: Monday, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.; Sir Froggy’s Pub, 4771 Soquel Dr., Soquel

Cover up the tagging sprawled on Bargetto Bridge at Wharf Road. The Graffiti Removal Project will meet volunteers at Sir Froggy’s Pub before heading out.

Cost: Free

Watsonville Senior Center Clean Up

When/Where: Monday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Watsonville Senior Center, 114 East 5th St., Watsonville

Meals on Wheels partners with Girls for A Change to re-paint and clean the entranceway of the Watsonville Senior Center. Public volunteers are welcome to join the professional painting crew.

Cost: Free

Freedom Train Ride

When/Where: Monday, 9-11 a.m.; Diridon Station, 65 Cahill St., San Jose

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Santa Clara Valley commemorates the distance walked during the 1965 voting rights marches from Selma to Montgomery, Ala. with a special Caltrain ride. Traveling from Diridon Station to San Francisco, the train makes stops in Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, and San Mateo.

Cost: $10 for a roundtrip ticket. No discount for seniors or children.

Community Mitzvah Day

When/Where: Monday, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; Oshmann Family Jewish Community Center, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto

The OFJCC is calling for volunteers to participate in a day of Tikkun Olam, or “repair of the world.” Small groups will work on projects addressing issues such as poverty, hunger, and housing and homelessness.

Cost: Free

Assemblymember Paul Fong's Day of Service

When/Where: Monday, Jan. 16, Ulistac Natural Area 4901 Lick Mill Boulevard, Santa Clara

Join Assemblymember Paul Fong in this year's MLK Day of Service by helping clean up Ulistac Natural Area, a city park in the city of Santa Clara. This opportunity to give back to the community will only take a few hours. The group will meet at the parking lot across the street from Ulistac Natural Area at 9:00 a.m. to pick up trash. Please prepare to get dirty and wear work gloves. Snacks and water will be provided.

Cost: Free. RSVP here.

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