On Monday, citizens around the country will step out to volunteer for the 26th annual Martin Luther King Day of Service.
"Life's most persistent and urgent question," King once said, "is: 'What are you doing for others?'"
Local organizations, including the Humane Educational Society and Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Chattanooga Area, in conjunction with AmeriCorps, will be welcoming volunteers in honor of the day and King's legacy.
"Martin Luther King Jr. is a modern American hero, standing for social justice and freedom," said AmeriCorps member Daniel Gamble, in a news release. "I am thankful that in honor of MLK, I get to work with volunteers and Habitat as we stand for the same dreams and convictions."
Gamble, 23, is working with Habitat in Chattanooga this year. The Nashville native is a University of Tennessee at Chattanooga graduate.
On Monday, he will work with volunteers from Rivermont Presbyterian Church on a house on Derby Street.
The Humane Educational Society is building raised beds for dogs.
"It's so important to get (the dogs) off that concrete floor and on to something that's a little bit comfortable," said HES volunteer coordinartor Jeanine Cloyd. "It's hard enough and scary to come into a shelter, and we want to try and make their lives as good as possible while they're here."
Raised beds, made from PVC tubing and stretched durable material, are more viable than the cushion-on-the-floor type of bed, because an understimulated animal might try to destroy them in an attempt to be playful.
"If we put a big, cushion-type bed in there, they'll just rip it to shreds, which will be a lot of fun, but then we don't have a bed tomorrow for that same kennel," Cloyd said.
The raised beds can be purchased, Cloyd said, but making them is far more economical.
Among their volunteers, the HES will be welcoming 20 students from Baylor School. All Baylor juniors and seniors will be volunteering in the community on Monday, according to director of external affairs Barbara Kennedy.