NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service has been canceled this year. 

 

The Northern Berkshire Community Coalition posted Friday on its Facebook page that the nonprofit organization and the MLK committee "has made the hard decision to cancel the event for this year. Stay tuned for announcements next week for Martin Luther King Jr. Day volunteer opportunities and how you can be involved."

 

The Day of Service, set annually on each Martin Luther King Jr. Day, has provided a opportunities around the North Berkshire region to volunteer. These have ranged from cleanups to winter weatherization, painting to making cards. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts has been the host for a number of years and participants have gathered at the Church Street Center to engage activities to help community menbers. A luncheon and presentations usually follow the morning of volunteering.

 

The event was held last year despite the COVID-19 pandemic, with locations for donation dropoffs and encouraging people to help out their neighbors and neighborhoods by cleaning, raking or shoveling, or having children participate in letter writing to neighbors.  

 

With the dramatic increase in novel coronavirus infections this year, the event scheduled for Jan. 17 is canceled but suggestions for volunteering will be announced next week. 

 

The annual Peacemaker Award, given to an individual who has made the community better, has also been postponed. Normally presented on MLK Jr. Day, this year it will be presented during NBCC's annual meeting scheduled for June 17. Youth essay winners will also be honored at that time.