GirardCollege.edu: Philadelphia Orchestra presents its free Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Concert at the Girard College Chapel, at 1:30 p.m., January 20, 2014

Girard College

The Philadelphia Orchestra will present its free annual Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Concert at the Girard College Chapel, at 1:30 p.m. The concert, conducted by associate conductor Cristian Măcelaru, is timed to coincide with the conclusion of the Day of Service, so that volunteers may attend. The concert is free, but tickets will be required and will be made available beginning January 8. Ticket outlets will be announced prior to that date.

To learn more about the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service, and/or to volunteer, click here.

Girard College will serve as the signature site for the 19th Annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service on Monday, January 20, 2014.

This honor recognizes Girard College as an insititution founded by Stephen Girard (1750-1831), a man whose life was defined by his strong commitment to community service. Additionally, Girard has a historic connection to Dr. King who played an active role in the civil rights protests that resulted in the desegregation of Girard College in 1968.

For the last several years, the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service has been the largest in the country, and this year it boasts 1,700 projects throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. The 2014 signature project at Girard College will involve the assembling and packing of critically needed basic supplies for certain Philadelphia public schools, including classroom and library books, computers and modems, and college preparation materials. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Girard College President Clarence Armbrister and other elected officials will volunteer alongside business and community leaders, students and others.

The event at Girard College will also include the annual Kids’ Carnival for children ages 5-12, with mural-painting, craft-making, reading about Dr. King and much more.

There will be a Community Health and Wellness Fair with dozens of organizations providing information, screenings, and testing.

The MLK365 Civic Engagement Expo features community organizations offering information about opportunities to volunteer throughout the year.

The 3rd Annual Jobs & Opportunity Fair – also held at the Girard College location – brings local employers and jobseekers together: available positions, tables with resource materials as well as workshops for 500 jobseekers are part of the Jobs Fair.