Across the country, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day has become a call to service in honor of his memory. Inspired by this spirit of community and volunteerism, Congressman Jerry McNerney announced that he will dedicate January as a Month of Service, and encourages others to volunteer their time when they can.

Throughout the month, McNerney will be participating in various volunteer efforts throughout his district. He kicked off his volunteer efforts this week by teaching folks at the Dublin Senior Center how to play the popular puzzle game Sudoku.

“It doesn’t always take money to contribute to our community,” McNerney wrote in a press release. “Just taking a few hours to lend a hand in your neighborhood benefits you, your family and friends. When our community thrives, we all benefit.”

Locally, East County residents can participate in the Month of Service when the Friends of Marsh Creek Watershed hosts its annual Day of Service Community Cleanup. On Monday, Jan. 16, volunteers will gather from 9 a.m. to noon at Almond Park, Creekside Park and the O’Hara Avenue Demonstration Garden – all in Brentwood – to remove weeds and plant new native plants. For more information, visit www.fomcw.org.

Participants in the Month of Service can submit photos, anecdotes or videos of their efforts at mcnerneyservice@mail.house.gov. Some of the volunteer efforts will be featured on McNerney’s website, www.mcnerney.house.gov, as well as on his official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/jerrymcnerney.

“I encourage folks to participate in this worthy effort,” McNerney said. “Just as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day has spurred a spirit of service, I hope that we can make January a month to rededicate ourselves to our community.”