As the Martin Luther King Jr. national holiday celebrates its 21st year, I cannot help recalling a quote from the man himself: "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'" How fitting that on Jan. 15, we will celebrate not only Dr. King's life, but also his passion for service to others through the Martin Luther King Day of Service.

On that day, hundreds of thousands of Americans will memorialize Dr. King through their participation in projects designed to better their communities. Together, they will honor King's legacy of tolerance, inclusion, peace, and equality through serving their fellow man and making the holiday... "A day ON, not a day OFF."

I can't think of a better way to serve during the Martin Luther King Day of Service than to participate in Volunteer Florida's 6 Days 6 Ramps project, which kicks off Jan. 15! The 6 Days 6 Ramps program builds wheelchair ramps for community members with disabilities who otherwise could not afford one. These ramps make it possible for recipients to get out of their homes, and to be active participants in community life.

Established four years ago as a signature event by the Governor's Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, Volunteer Florida, the 6 Days 6 Ramps community service project began in Tallahassee, and has since expanded to Gainesville and Pensacola. To date, volunteers have built 46 ramps for people and families in need.

Spencer

Hands On Pensacola, Escambia County High S c h o o l / H i g h - T e c h , Rehabilitation Foundation of Northwest Florida, Volunteer UWF, and members of local AmeriCorps programs are partnering to support the ramp-building program in your community. The program is coordinated by Woodbine United Methodist Church. Tremendous community support in the Pensacola area will allow volunteers to build ramps at 18 homes in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties in just six days.

Getting involved is easy. For complete details, simply visit the 6 Days 6 Ramps Web site, located at www.6days6ramps.org. You can register online or by calling Lori Broadhurst at Hands On Pensacola at 850-432-9445 for assistance. Ramp-building projects are scheduled for the months of January and February. Volunteers with a variety of skill levels are needed to make this event a success. Teams of volunteers are encouraged to participate, and children 8 and older are welcome with an adult.

Building a wheelchair ramp for someone in need does not just benefit the ramp recipient. Volunteers benefit, too! In addition to the sense of satisfaction you will receive from knowing you have put your time to good use, when you see the face of a person with a disability leave their home - sometimes for the first time in years - it can literally bring tears to your eyes. As one ramp recipient said to me last year: "You haven't given me a ramp; you've given me my freedom."

And isn't freedom and inclusion what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was all about? Please, join us for a ramp building project, honor the memory of Dr. King, and give a person with a disability the gift of freedom

Wendy Spencer is the Chief Executive Officer of the Governor's Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, commonly called Volunteer Florida.