UPDATE:

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The City of Chattanooga has rescheduled the Martin Luther King Day of Service. It was previously postponed due to winter weather conditions.

The new dates will be April 4-6, 2024. It will begin at 8 a.m. at the Maclellan Gym. Projects will then take place from 9 a.m. until noon.

This is the 12th annual MLK Day of Service, organized by the city and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The event is dedicated to remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and legacy by serving the community.

Sign up to volunteer or register a service project here. Those who filled out the forms for the January event will not need to register again.

The city said it will send out a full schedule of events at a later date.

In the past, the MLK Day of Service has featured neighborhood cleanups, flower- and tree-planting, and school improvements.

This year, the event will focus on celebrating public works employees, “for whom Dr. King was advocating in Memphis when he was assassinated on April 4, 1968,” city officials explained.

Roshonda Woods, Chattanooga’s first female and first African American solid waste manager, will present a special address.

“Government is and should be the problem solver of last resort. Initiatives outside of City Hall often leave our community in a better place than the ones written in policy or code,” said Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly. “I’m thrilled that our city’s dedication to carrying on Dr. King’s legacy won’t be deterred by the winter weather that disrupted the event back in January – because Dr. King’s determination to serve and advocate for the public wouldn’t have been either.”

SEE PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

Chattanooga seeking volunteers for MLK Day of Service

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The City of Chattanooga is seeking volunteers in their 12th annual MLK Day of Service, taking place on January 15.

The MLK Day of Service is a day dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life.

It will take place at 8 a.m. at the Maclellan Gym.

Service projects will begin at 9 a.m., followed by the MLK Day Parade, which will begin at 12:30 p.m.

Volunteers can also meet in Miller Park after the Day of Service event to participate in the walking parade. It will end at Olivet Baptist Church.

Register to partake in service projects and sign up to volunteer for the event here.

“Government is and should be the problem solver of last resort. Initiatives outside of City Hall often leave our community in a better place than the ones written in policy or code,” said Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly. “If our interest is to live as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lived, then we should extend this day far beyond a single day or event, and instead make every day a day of service.”

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is helping coordinate this event as well.

In the past, the event has involved cleaning up neighborhoods, planting trees and flowers, and improving schools.

“While Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a day off for many of us, this initiative is meant to transform it into a day on – giving back to the community in the spirit of Dr. King’s legacy,” said Chief Equity Officer Tony Sammons. “Thanks to UTC, Unity Group of Chattanooga, and all of our wonderful partners who have already committed to continuing to burn Dr. King’s light brightly a generation after his death.”