Happy 83rd Birthday Dr. King!

 Today I was able to participate in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service with many others of Love Chapmantown. First, picking up roadside garbage, then visiting and photographing folks working on the compost bin at the Chapmantown Community Garden.

 Next, pedaling past Chapman Primary School I could get a view of the junkyard that is almost adjacent, (that the city gave an extension to for their clean-up.) You can see the big Sierra Nevada beer storage tanks to the left.

 Over at the Dorothy Johnson Community Center I found Rev. Vince Haynie and others shoveling wood chips for the landscaping. Rev. Haynie has galvanized the community into a caring, connected body. This isn't a great picture of him--he's in the purple shirt. He walks in the shoes of Dr. King everyday.

 Then there was some time digging along the garden fence, trying to get out bermuda grass from the strawberry bed at the Dorothy Johnson Educational Garden for the after-school program that continues for over 40 years. The woman at the gate was cared for there after school. Orien was cared for there when I was working when she was a kid... by Mrs. Johnson herself who is retired now but still in good health.

After that I did about 15 minutes with the Occupy presence and then jammed with the Chico Peace and Justice Center to help clean up their garden area behind the center.
My last act of the National Service Day was to pick up 141 cigarette butts in front of the 33 Steaks, Booze and Jazz Bar and Restaurant at 305 Main-pushed into the city gutter by their maintenance man to wash into Big Chico Creek in the coming rains. I want to stick them under the noses of our City Council tomorrow night if I can make it there. (I've already tried a citizens arrest, council member, code enforcement..)
Dr. King, I Love Your Memory. I Loved starting my day with Democracy Now today and hearing your speech at the Riverside Church the year before you were assassinated. I feel renewed by all those who love your memory also.