We’ve heard a lot about service and volunteering this weekend with the MLK Service Weekend. I volunteered with a great local DC group called Yachad – they help rebuild low-income housing in our nation’s capital. As I write up my blog I regret not having invited Anthony to come along with me to volunteer. I think he would have enjoyed it.
Me doing some painting with Yachad this weekend. (photo: Reed Sandridge)
Anthony volunteers a lot of his time. Not in the conventional sense of volunteering once a week with a hospital or signing up for a national day of service, rather Anthony takes time every day to help people on the streets of DC. From providing directions to tourists who he encounters staring blankly at a DC map to new Street Sense vendors who are trying to figure out the ropes of the job to helping me stay on track with my book. He loves to help people.
Photo: Carolyn Kaster
Anthony almost got a chance in a lifetime opportunity today. A reader of the blog reached out and asked if Anthony would like to be her guest at the swearing in ceremony for President Obama. Wow!!! She said she needed to confirm how many extra tickets (seated tickets no less!) she had and then get back to me. Unfortunately, I never heard back but just the idea that she thought about extending that invitation to Anthony touched my heart.
I spoke with him earlier today and he was camped in a Starbucks trying to stay warm. “I’m surrounded by a ton of people,” he told me referring to the tremendous amount of people who have traveled to DC to take part in the inaugural celebrations.
Anthony and I meet tomorrow for our biweekly meeting.
