MLK Day 2018: What's Open, Closed In Kingstowne

KINGSTOWNE, VA—If your family is off from work or school on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, there will be plenty of ceremonies and volunteer events.

Meanwhile Fairfax County offices and public schools will be closed Monday, Jan. 15 for the holiday. Virginia state offices will also be closed on Friday, Jan. 12 for Lee-Jackson Day. Most services will be closed, except for a select few.

Here are the openings/closings to be aware of around Martin Luther King Jr. Day, plus some local volunteer opportunities and ceremonies.

Fairfax County Offices: Closed Monday, Jan. 15

Schools and Administrative Offices: Closed Monday, Jan. 15

State Offices: Commonwealth of Virginia offices in Fairfax County will be closed Jan. 12 and 15, including Circuit Court, General District Court and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.

Animal Shelter: Closed Monday, Jan. 15

Community Centers: Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) programs, activities and facilities will be closed Monday, Jan. 15.

Fairfax Connector and Fastran: Fairfax Connector bus service will operate on a holiday weekend schedule on Monday, Jan. 15. See www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/ for more information. Fastran will not operate.

Libraries: Closed on Monday, Jan. 15.

Metrorail: Metrorail will open 5 a.m. and close at midnight, operating on a Saturday schedule. No track work is scheduled.

Metrobus: Buses will operate on a Saturday supplemental schedule. See more information at www.wmata.com.

Parking: Parking is free at park and ride locations and Metro parking lots.

Parks: Colvin Run Mill and Sully Historic Site will be closed. All other parks are open Monday, Jan. 15. See hours at fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/holiday-hours.

Fairfax County Recreation Centers: Open

Recycling: I-66 Transfer Station (4618 West Ox Road, Fairfax) and I-95 Landfill (9850 Furnace Road, Lorton) will be open.

Trash Pickup: Contact individual Fairfax County and private service providers for holiday hours.

Events

Volunteer Fairfax 's 9th annual Give Together will take place on Monday, Jan. 15. In recognition of Dr. King’s message of peace and empowerment, the day has been designated as a national day of service – “a day on, not a day off.” Give Together: A Family Volunteer Day is designed to gather families with elementary school-aged children to work on service projects that support local charitable efforts. Give Together provides parents the opportunity to teach the values of volunteering and giving back to the community. This event is full, but additional opportunities are available on Volunteer Fairfax's site.

Join Arise Real Estate Group, L.C. for the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service by collecting items for Bread for the City at Topgolf (6625 S. Van Dorn Street, Alexandria). Bring your donations by and stay for games, appetizers and fun. Items to be collected include small artwork and artificial plants for intake rooms, diaper sizes four, five and six, children's clothing, men's clothing and new hygiene products like toothbrushes, shampoo and other toiletries.

Over 250 NOVA students, faculty, staff and community members will work together with Stop Hunger Now for the MLK Day of Service. NOVA has participated in the MLK Day of Service for nine years, partnering with nonprofit organizations and encouraging students and the community to volunteer. The event will happen from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Alexandria Campus, The Center for Design, Media and the Arts. It will consist of four service projects: Food Inventory/Sorting, Baby Formula Packing, Basic Needs Hygiene/Products Drive and Laundry Supply Packing and Distribution. NOVA will work with community partners to provide resources to NOVA students and the Northern Virginia homeless population. For more information and to register, click here.

The City of Alexandria will honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a community program on Monday, Jan. 15, at 7:30 p.m., at Shiloh Baptist Church (1401 Duke St.) The program, Dr. King: His Voice, His Teachings, His Love for Humanity, will be presented by the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Planning Committee, and will include welcome remarks by Mayor Allison Silberberg, a keynote address by veteran news anchor Maureen Bunyan, and music by the Commonwealth Baptist Church Choir.

Volunteers at Alexandria-based Islamic Relief USA will participate in Mid-Atlantic America's Islamic Heritage Museum Day, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the museum, located at 2315 Martin Luther King Junior Ave. SE, Washington, DC. Volunteers will distribute 500 hot meals, set up four coffee/hot chocolate stations along the parade route, and participate in the parade. In addition, museum founder and curator Brother Amir Muhammad will speak about the legacies of Dr. King and legendary boxer/humanitarian Muhammad Ali. Ali's birthday would have been on Jan. 17, which also marks the 2nd Annual International Mentoring Day. Then from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., volunteers will package approximately 10,000 pounds of produce at Our Savior Lutheran Church and School, 825 South Taylor St., Arlington, Va.

Do you know of other volunteer events happening on Martin Luther King Jr. Day around the area? Send an email to emily.leayman@patch.com.

Photo credit: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite