Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that we can all be great because we are all called to serve. In this spirit ServeDC, The Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism, called upon community organizations to honor Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by hosting a day of service. William R. Singleton Hope Lebanon Lodge #7 of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, Free and Accepted Masons answered that call by arranging for a neighborhood clean up of the Tenleytown Neighborhood and Tree Maintenance Day.

The lodge service committee provided the trash bags, the hand sanitizers and the latex gloves as well as maps of the greatest area of trash in the neighborhood. The volunteer response was tremendous with over 40 different volunteers showing up to help. Included in this volunteer group were several brothers and their families, Prof. Katharine Kravetz’s Washington Semester Students from American University, several Tenleytown Families and a professional women’s organization.

These volunteers came from every race, gender, educational background, they ranged from 4 years of age to 60, but they had one thing in common: their commitment to serve the community.  At the end of the clean up over 35 bags of trash had been picked up and deposited in the trash.

Photo: Top, Garbage collected in the project. Second: Peter Brusoe 32º with supplies for Clean up day in front of his Lodge.

Special thanks go to Bros. Haze McCrary, Win Keller, Perry Blatstein 32º, Garrison Courtney 32º and Jason Leibowitz 32º for their work in making this project happen for the community.