MADISON — As the world continues to settle into 2019, both the state of Alabama and the city of Madison will have plenty to celebrate.

Citizens across the state will have numerous opportunities throughout the year to participate in a plethora of fun events commemorating Alabama’s bicentennial. In addition, Madison will have even more fun in store for its residents as it celebrates its sesquicentennial, or 150th birthday.

The first event of the big year will be the National Day of Service. This special event, taking place during Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 21, will allow Madison residents young and old to lend a helping hand and work together to better their community.

According to nationalservice.gov, the United States aims to make this federal holiday a “Day ON, Not a Day Off!” Citizens are encouraged to come up with a project they can accomplish in an effort to improve their communities.

“MLK Day of Service is intended to empower individuals, strengthen communities, bridge barriers, create solutions to social problems, and move us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a ‘Beloved Community,’” the website reads.

This day of service in Madison will also serve as a kickoff to a service rally that will be taking place throughout the entire year. The National Day of Service in Madison will consist of the ‘Kids Kingdom Cleanup Part 2’ project. This project is open to clubs, church groups, families and individuals of all ages.

Kid’s Kingdom | (Photo: madisonal.gov)

“Last summer, we had such a great time when over 60 volunteers helped spread mulch at Kid’s Kingdom,” said Cathy Larsen, who has helped organize the project. “This time, we plan to sand and paint the structures to update the appearance of this favorite park of ours.”

The Dublin Park playground has delighted children since it opened more than two decades ago in October 1997. The plans to freshen up Kid’s Kingdom this month are contingent on the weather. If it is raining, there will be plenty of tasks for volunteers to tackle inside.

If they are able, volunteers are asked to bring ladders, works gloves, sanding blocks and sandpaper.

Volunteers should arrive at approximately 9 a.m. with cleanup and revitalization following shortly after. The project will last until about 1 p.m. A free breakfast, courtesy of Chick-fil-A, will be provided for all volunteers.

“We encourage all Madison residents to come and join us,” Larsen said. “It’s a great way to give back a little to this wonderful community we live in.”

Project coordinators are asking volunteers to register beforehand so they may have a head count and prepare accordingly. Registration is available at JustServe.org. The full name of the project listed on the website is ‘Madison150 Service Rally Kick Off – Kids Kingdom Clean up Part 2.’

For more information on the Kid’s Kingdom Cleanup project, call 256-772-2557.

Kid’s Kingdom is located at Dublin Park, 8324 Madison Pike in Madison. It is free to enter and open during daylight hours.

For a list of more Madison 150 events, visit www.madisonal.gov/madison150.