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WNIJ's summary of news items around our state.

Illinois Group Calls On Residents To Volunteer During Coming Holiday

The group Serve Illinois is calling Martin Luther King Jr. Day "a day on, not a day off."

They say Illinois is one of the highest ranking states for people who give time; about a quarter of the population volunteers.

The group is encouraging residents to volunteer during the upcoming holiday to boost the numbers. 

Scott McFarland, with Serve Illinois, says there are creative opportunities to contribute your time. 

"If you're looking to give back, there's something out there that's going to fit with what you're doing," he said. "There are even opportunities for folks who want to stay home; there's a lot of digital opportunities."

He encourages residents to visit their website to find opportunities. 

"It doesn't take much to volunteer a few hours of your time to help somebody out," he said. "And these days of service are a perfect time for that because everyone's thinking about what they can do to honor the holiday. And this is just another opportunity to do that."

McFarland says people often say they don’t volunteer because no one asked them and they don’t know where to go.

Congress named Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a day of service in 1994.