7 January, 2016
Martin Luther King Day in Hopkinton began in 2006, when Linda Katz, who had seen a national initiative called the National Day of Giving Back, brought it to the Youth Commission as a way to make MLK day a “Day on, not a day off” for our youth. Linda organized this event for the Youth Commission for 4 years, at which point, Margie Wiggin, current Chair of the Youth Commission, took it over and continued the tradition.
MLK Day 2016 in Hopkinton begins on the weekend with a Song Circle, held at the beautifully renovated Cultural Arts Center, on January 16, from 3:30 - 4:30, where people can listen and sing along to songs of peace and justice. Monday morning events begin at Hopkinton Middle School at 9 AM, with a Dunkin Donuts breakfast, donated by South Street Dunkin Donuts in Hopkinton. We hope youth will come and enjoy donuts, Bagels and cream cheese, muffins, hot chocolate, coffee, tea, and other delicious treats as well as some gluten free alternatives if needed. Breakfast items will be available until 2. There will also be an American Red Cross Blood Drive from 9 - 2 in the Middle School Cafeteria. Sign up on the American Red Cross website for your appointment. We can all give back in some way!!
At 9:45 or so, attendees will gather in the Middle School auditorium to hear the words and wisdom of our speaker, clinical psychologist Dr. Arthur Ciaramicoli, Dr. Ciaramicoli is a Hopkinton resident and Chief Medical Officer of Soundmindz.org. He has written several books and his newest edition, The Stress Solution, will be published in June. Dr. Ciaramicoli will share his views on Stress, Empathy, Giving, and Service in our Society, in a speech which will include a question and answer portion and will compare our current society now to that in MLK’s time, stressing the value of EMPATHY in our society now.
Dr. Ciaramicoli notes that the lack of empathy and interpersonal connection increases stress and lack of trust. These current conditions are similar to the time of the civil rights movement in which MLK lived and served. He will speak of how to relieve stress through empathy and giving, as well as helping us learn how to express empathy. Youth from the middle and high schools as well as younger students participating in service projects are welcome to come, listen and learn, along with their adult leaders or parents. The more people who learn about empathy, giving and service, the better!!
After the speaker, at around 10:30, young people and their leaders will go across the hall to do various service projects at tables in the Brown gym or out and about in town. Previous years’ activities have included Boy Scouts neatening the edges of the Loop roads around Hopkins and Elmwood schools, as well as around all school parking lots, letters written to men and women currently serving our country in the armed forces, cancer care bags for people going through treatments, which are distributed through Project Just Because, story hour and crafts for elementary age children and many more activities. Around town, volunteer groups will also be providing and participating in activities at the Senior Housing Main Building or Respite Center.
At 1:30 or so, Freshman Boys Basketball, led by coach Jay Golden, will help clean up the Brown gym and get it ready for their 2 pm game vs Respite Center Special Olympics athletes, which all are welcome to attend.
All in all, these past ten years of making this a “Day on, not a day off” to honor the legacy and life of Martin Luther King, Jr, have made Hopkinton a better place to live and have helped our youth take part in something which will hopefully last as a lifelong habit of serving others, volunteering and answering the question Martin Luther King Jr posed, “Life’s most persistent question is - What are you doing for others?”
