The Meaning of Service

Defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary as:

The occupation or function of serving

The work performed by one that services

Contribution to the welfare of others

None of those definitions, however, seem exactly right. Maybe because it’s hard to fit all that one word means into a statement. Maybe the better definition isn’t a statement at all, but the question Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once asked: "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'

These days that can be a hard question to answer. Just weeks after the holiday season when most of us have been bombarded with messages of giving, when our bank accounts and personal time are still recovering it can be hard to find the finances, not to mention energy to give more.

But now more than any other time is when it might be most important to give. Many charitable organizations quickly fall off the radar of their communities after the holidays, but that doesn’t mean they still don’t need help, and some organizations are busy planning their busy season desperately seeking volunteers.

Monday, Jan. 16, 2012 is Martin Luther King Jr. Day it is also a day of service. The MLK Day of Service is part of United We Serve and asks Americans to pledge to spend a day making a positive impact on their community. You can search for opportunities on the MLK Day of Service website, register your own Day of Service, and also check out Patch’s volunteers needed section.

There are many opportunities to get you started:

Pledge to be a volunteer for the , , Literacy Volunteers, , the events such as the , , and the , to name a few.