Into the Streets is ready to kick off its fourth year of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of service.
"Every year, we plan for a certain amount of people, and we always exceed the amount we've planned for," said Carlos Fuentes, assistant director of the Service Learning Center. "We always have a good turn out."
Into the Streets is a student organization that serves Lansing area with year-round events. The group's goal is to introduce students to "thoughtful community service" and to train students to help solve society's problems.
Registration begins at 9 a.m. Monday in N-130 of the Business College Complex.
Johnnie Tuitel, a nationally renowned motivational speaker, will be the keynote speaker. Tuitel also is the executive director of Alternatives in Motion, a nonprofit organization that provides wheelchairs to people with disabilities.
Environmental studies junior Dan Stanaway, who will be site leader at the Ingham Conservative District, is a new volunteer, but says he is prepared for the task.
"This is my first time volunteering. I wanted to start getting involved, it's part of my new year's resolution to give more of myself," he said.
His duties as site leader will include leading his group to the site and getting everyone to participate in the group reflection.
Participants will be volunteering in the Lansing area at various nonprofit organizations in honor of King.
Volunteer sites include the Ronald McDonald House, Volunteers of America, Eve's House and the Ingham Conservation District.
"We have always said it is a day 'on' and not a day 'off' because Michigan State University observes the holiday so students can participate in Martin Luther King Jr. related festivities such as Into the Streets," said Andrea Hart, chairperson of Into the Streets.
The organization's main goal is to "promote community service through reflection while volunteering" throughout the Lansing area.
"We're excited about it," Fuentes said about the event. "Students are going to walk away feeling good because they did something useful."
Fuentes said the events will give students an opportunity to give back to their community.
"It's a very, very clear theme," he said. "They're gonna see the true needs of the community. We want students to find a connection and want to volunteer."
Fuentes said one of perks of the events is people of all races and ethnicities can unite to participate.
"That's another thing I like seeing about this particular project," he said. "I think MLK would smile if he was to sit in and see the mix of students we have."
For more information, contact Into the Streets at streets@msu.edu.
