Swing a hammer, rake some leaves and help out a neighbor this month by volunteering for Decatur’s Martin Luther King Jr Service Project.

The annual service project returns Jan. 19 and is held in honor of Martin Luther King Day, which is on Jan. 21.

The volunteer-driven project helps Decatur’s elderly residents with basic home repairs.

Mayor Patti Garrett recently reminded residents about the opportunities to participate in this year’s project.

“Don’t miss this opportunity to be in service to our seniors,” she said in an email to her constituents.

The annual service event has a long history in Decatur.

“In 2003, the Decatur Preservation Alliance Board identified a need to alleviate the economic pressures on our community’s elderly and thereby enable at-risk seniors to remain in their homes safely and comfortably, improving their quality of life,” Garrett’s email said. “To achieve these goals, the MLK, Jr. Service Project was started to provide house maintenance and repair, free of charge, to Decatur senior citizen homeowners during the MLK, Jr. holiday weekend. That first year’s project commenced with 100 volunteers and eight homes. Volunteers work at senior citizens’ homes in Oakhurst, making greatly needed repairs and doing yard work that elderly homeowners have been unable to afford.”

According to Garrett, the following shifts are available for volunteers who want to participate:

– Saturday, January 19: 9am to 1pm and 1pm to 5pm

– Sunday, January 20: 1pm to 5pm

– Monday, January 21: 9am to 1pm and 1pm to 5pm

There will be a celebratory cookout after the event on Jan. 21 at 5 p.m. at the Solarium located at 321 W Hill St # 1A, Decatur, GA 30030

To learn more about the MLK Service Project and how to volunteer, click here.

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