Dozens of Restonians turned out to help on Saturday as Reston Association and Reston Community Center sponsored a Day of Service in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.

Participants bagged lunches for clients at the Embry Rucker Community Shelter; sorted clothing donations for The Closet in Herndon; Created art with inspirational quotes; and helped paint and fix things at the Southgate Community Center.

Other weekend activities included the Voices of Inspiration concert, the community march from Lake Anne to Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation, a community lunch and a performance by playwright/actress Anne Deveare Smith.

Photos courtesy of Volunteer Reston and Reston Community Center

Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Reston Now is off, and hopefully so are you. We will be back tomorrow.

Meanwhile, here is a list of what is open and closed today.

And here is a rundown of events at Reston Community Center to honor MLK.

Reston Community Center is sponsoring a full weekend of cultural and volunteer opportunities as a way to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Day is Monday, Jan. 19 and is considered by many to be a day of service. RCC has a number of ways residents of all ages can take part.

Here is the full lineup of events in Reston:

Saturday, Jan. 17

9:00 a.m. —  Community Service Projects at Southgate Community Center.

Take part in a variety of projects, including sorting donations at The Closet, making meals for Embry Rucker Community Shelter, and cleaning up outdoor areas. Reston Community Center is partnering with Reston Association, Southgate Community Center, Cornerstones, and The Closet on community service projects. Registration is required through Reston Association.

4:00 p.m. — Musical Salute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at RCC Hunters Woods

Maestro Dingwall Fleary will lead the Reston Community Orchestra in the ninth annual musical salute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Concert will feature the works of African-American composers, as well as works inspired by the civil rights movement for which Dr. King gave his life. New this year is an inspiring performance of Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech by students from Reston’s Al Fatih Academy. The performance is free for all ages, and donations are appreciated.

7:00 p.m. — Kosher Gospel Concert, Congregation Beth Emeth, 12523 Lawyers Rd.

Enjoy a special evening of Kosher Gospel featuring the Prince of Kosher Gospel Joshua Nelson. Nelson fuses Jewish lyrics with the soulful sounds of American gospel music.  Sponsored by Congregation Beth Emeth of Herndon. Tickets are $25 per adults, $18 per child.

Sunday, Jan. 18

1:30 p.m. — Art Reception, RCC Hunters Woods

Reston children have created works with themes centered on the history of King and the civil rights movement,  art will be on display from early January through the end of the month.

3 p.m. — Community March — Lake Anne Plaza

Community members will assemble at Lake Anne Plaza, where Rev. David North will teach a brief history of songs used in the civil rights movement and then lead everyone marching and singing songs to Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation. A shuttle bus will run between the two sites from 2:30 p.m. until after the Voices of Inspiration program concludes.

4 p.m. — Voices of Inspiration Program at Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation, 1441 Wiehle Ave. 

All ages are welcome to the free program. This is the 25th Anniversary program honoring Dr. King, which is sponsored by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Christian Church.

8 p.m. –  “Snapshots: Portrait of a World In Transition,” at CenterStage

Acclaimed actress and playwright Anna Deavere Smith performs her one woman show, “Snapshots: Portrait of a World In Transition,” at CenterStage at the Reston Community Center Hunters Woods. Smith slips in and out of character recreating a diversity of emotions and points of view on controversial issues. Tickets are $25 for Reston residents and employees, and $50 for non Reston, and are available through the CenterStage box office.

Monday, Jan. 19

11:30 a.m. — Children’s Activities at RCC Hunters Woods

Children in first through sixth grades are invited to take part in a series of activities based on the history of King and the civil rights movement.

Noon — Anna Deavere Smith’s Keynote Address, “Reclaiming Grace in the Face of Adversity” at CenterStage

A Community Lunch immediately follows. Tickets are $5 for Reston residents and employees, and $10 for others.

To register for volunteer opportunities, visit RCC’s website.

Photo of past MLK Day march in Reston/Credit: Reston Community Center

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, Jan. 19. It is a federal holiday, which means no mail service and banks will be closed.

Here is a list of what is open and closed in Fairfax County on the holiday:

County Government – Closed.

Animal Shelter – Closed.

Courts – Closed. (Note: Also closed Friday, Jan. 16 for Lee Jackson Day).

Public Schools and School Offices – Closed.

Library – Closed.

Fairfax Connector – Routes with holiday weekday service operate according to the weekday schedule except routes 335, 394, 395, 432, 493, 494, 495, 585, 599, 724, 734 and 985, which will not operate.

Fastran – Not in service.

Park Authority – RECenters open on regular schedules. Nature centers, historic sites and Green Spring Gardens will be closed. Frying Pan Farm Park open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; visitor center open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Teen and Senior Centers – Closed.

Community Centers – Closed.

Reston Community Center Hunters Woods – Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day events scheduled for Jan. 17-19.

Reston Community Center Lake Anne – Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day events scheduled for Jan. 17-19.

County Trash and Recycling Collection – County residents should contact their trash and recycling collector directly for service schedule changes.

• Fairfax County Collection Customers: Trash and recyclables will be collected as scheduled on Monday, Jan. 19. Please have your materials to the curb no later than 6 a.m. to ensure collection. For more information, call the Customer Service Center at 703-802-3322, TTY 711.

Recycling and Disposal Centers

• I-66 Transfer Station – Open
• I-95 Landfill Complex – Open

Reston Association and the Reston Community Center are organizing a Day of Service for Jan. 17, where members can honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by giving back to others right here in Reston.

Here is what you need to know.

There will be two sessions: 9 a.m.-noon at Southgate Community Center and 1-3 p.m.  at the Closet in Herndon. Breakfast and coffee will be available, and there will be a pizza lunch from noon-1 p.m. for volunteers.

SESSION I

Southgate Community Center, 12125 Pinecrest Road, Reston. All ages welcome for Session I, 9 a.m. to non.

Cornerstones Bagged Lunches:
Volunteers will help prepare bag lunches for the Embry Rucker Community Shelter or families participating in their Supportive Housing program.

Sorting Donated Toys & Clothes:
During this project volunteers will be sorting donated clothes and toy items from the Closet. Loading sorted items onto a truck to go back to the Closet.

Universal Expectations Canvas Paintings:
Volunteers will have the opportunity to paint Universal Expectations quotes on canvases — Be Ready, Be Responsible, Be Respectful and Be Safe will be painted on canvases.

Cleanup surrounding Southgate Community Center (weather permitting):
Pruning, picking up litter and clearing debris in the natural areas, basketball court, pathways around Southgate Community Center. Gloves, grabbers and trash bags will be provided.

SESSION II

The Closet, 845 Station Street, Herndon, Va. (downtown Herndon). Must be 14 or older to volunteer. 1 to 3 p.m.

The Closet is a nonprofit thrift shop in the heart of historic downtown Herndon. The Closet donates clothing without charge to needy persons, after referral by an authorized social service agency, the homeless shelter, or by a sponsoring congregation. Most important to their mission is utilization of their profits for projects that will directly or indirectly benefit low income families.

Volunteers will help unload sorted donated toys and clothes bins.Replace plastic hangers with velvet hangers throughout the thrift store. Changing them out will take at least an hour. Organize donated picture frames & paintings and hanging them and putting them out in the thrift store.

To volunteer go to this SignUp Genius or contact Ha Brock, Reston Association volunteer and community outreach coordinator, at 703-435-7986 or[email protected].

Photo: Volunteers at MLK Day of Service 2014/Courtesy of Reston Association

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, Rep. Gerry Connolly and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova were among the local dignitaries at Reston Community Center Monday for RCC’s Annual Martin Luther King Day celebration.

The events at RCC wrapped up three days of MLK Day events — including a commemorative march, a keynote concert with venerable a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock and community service projects — in Reston.

Each year, RCC asks the question “Are we keeping the promise?”

There still is a way to go in America, Warner said.

“It is a challenging time,” Warner said. “Dr. King would have been 85 this year, and we think of 50 years since his ‘I have a dream’ speech” about how far we have come, but also how far we have to go.”

Warner pointed out some of the challenges today, particularly for people of color: access to education, health care and racial intolerance.

“We need to rededicate ourselves to that dream not just on this Monday in January, but every day of our lives,” he said.

Connolly said Reston is a great example of a pioneering civil rights vision. Robert Simon, who was also at Monday’s MLK Day luncheon at RCC, founded Reston in 1964 with the idea that people of many races and economic circumstances could live alongside each other in one community.

“In many ways, the multicultural community Martin Luther King hoped for is right here in Reston,” he said. “It is a welcoming community that was willing to challenge conventional wisdom. The fact a community like this was built is really a beacon of hope. Reston is something special.”

Reston Now is off for Monday’s Martin Luther King Day. Whether you use the day off as a time to reflect,  give back or just a day off, enjoy.

There is a full slate of events at the Reston Community Center today:

Sweet Honey in the Rock Sing-a-long: 11 a.m.,  RCC Hunters Woods. Tickets:  $5 Reston/$10 Non-Reston. Visit RCC’s ticket site to purchase tickets.

Community Lunch & Sweet Honey in the Rock Keynote Address:  12:30 p.m., RCC Hunters Woods. $5 Reston/$10 Non-Reston. Visit RCC’s ticket site to purchase tickets. There will be a family-style community lunch followed by a specially prepared musical keynote address featuring the songs of the civil rights movement.

Especially for Youth: 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.; 6 – 12 Years Old • Free
Registration Required • 704750-4A
Register your school age child (Grades 1 to 6 to participate in activities at RCC. Children should be registered in advance. Limited on-site registration will be available on the day of the event. Children will rotate through a series of activities including a performance, an age-appropriate video, and arts and crafts. All activities will be based on the history of Dr. King and the civil rights movement.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday. Here is a look at what is open and closed in Fairfax County.

Public Schools and School Offices – Closed

Reston Community Center Hunters Woods and Lake Anne – Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• Full slate of Martin Luther King Jr. Day events scheduled for Jan. 18-20

County Government – Closed

Animal Shelter – Closed

Courts – Closed

• Note: Also closed Friday, Jan. 17 for Lee Jackson Day.

Office of Elections – Open Saturday, Jan. 18, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday, Jan. 20, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Libraries – Closed

Fairfax Connector – Routes with weekday service operate according to the weekday schedule except routes 335, 394, 395, 585, 595 and 597 which will not operate. Routes 335, 394, 395, 585, 595 and 597 do not operate when a holiday weekday schedule is in effect.

Fastran – Not in service

Park Authority – RECenters open on regular schedules. Nature centers, historic sites and Green Spring Gardens will be closed. Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; visitor center open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Teen and Senior Centers – Closed

Community Centers – Closed.

McLean Community Center and Old Firehouse Teen Center – Closed

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day event featuring Ambassador Andrew Young is Friday, Jan. 17 at 8 p.m.

County Trash and Recycling Collection – County residents should contact their trash and recycling collector directly for service schedule changes.

• Private Collection Service Providers
• Fairfax County Collection Customers: Trash and recyclables will be collected as scheduled on Monday, Jan. 20. Please have your materials to the curb no later than 6 a.m. to ensure collection. for more information, call the Customer Service Center at 703-802-3322, TTY 711.

Recycling and Disposal Centers

• I-66 Transfer Station – Open
• I-95 Landfill Complex – Open