Make Monday, Jan. 16--Martin Luther King Jr. Day--a day ON, not a day off, by participating in  Montgomery County's MLK Day of Service 2017.

Honor Dr. King's life and teachings by  signing up today to volunteer at one of the following project sites coordinated by  the Montgomery County Volunteer Center and its partner agencies. Each site will feature a variety of family-friendly service projects to choose from--everything from preparing food for the hungry and making blankets for hospice to creating cards for overseas troops and seniors. All activities are pre-approved by MCPS for student service learning hours.

Sorry, the Germantown site is now full.

	Volunteer Paula Rosenthal with graduates of the Gilchrist English level 4 class she teaches in Germantown

Immigrants--including those new to our area as well as longer-term county residents--rely on the center for a variety of resources. Some turn to the Gilchrist Center for information and referrals to programs and services offered by government agencies and community organizations, which the center provides through its website, multi-lingual publications, and in-person service centers in Wheaton, Silver Spring, Gaithersburg, and Germantown. Others look to strengthen their life skills through the English and basic computer classes offered by the center. And still others work with the center to gain the knowledge needed to prepare for civic life and/or U.S. citizenship.

Much of this help is provided by volunteers who contribute their talents to the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center. In fact, volunteers teach all of the 40-plus English and computer classes the center offers throughout the year. Volunteers also assist with data entry, administrative support, outreach, and special projects. With the center now gearing up for its winter session classes, it is now recruiting basic computer skills instructors to teach the fundamentals of Microsoft Word, internet use, and email on Wednesday mornings in Gaithersburg or Monday or Tuesday evenings in the Briggs Chaney area. Training and curriculum are provided.

Many Gilchrist Center volunteers return session after session, year after year. Ask them why, and they point to rewards of making a difference in the lives of the enthusiastic immigrants they serve--plus making connections with neighbors from other countries. As one volunteer notes, "After receiving a visit from a previous student, I had no doubt that I had made a huge difference in her life, and that surely it was happening for others each year that I came back to teach these hard-working adults the English language. That is what keeps me coming back."

To learn more about the Gilchrist Center and ways to help it strengthen our multicultural community every day, visit the center's website, call 240-777-4940, or email Anna DeNicolo. The center can also connect you with other opportunities to help immigrants and refugees in our region.

Some volunteer positions count on specialized knowledge that can really only come from the organization that seeks those volunteers. And, thus, some organizations offer specialized training for potential volunteers. Here are two such upcoming volunteer learning opportunities:

Hospice Volunteer Training: Learn how to enhance the quality of life of individuals and families facing life-threatening or terminal illnesses. The Jewish Social Service Agency, a non-sectarian community agency, offers a 20-hour training session for prospective volunteers interested in making a difference in the life of a patient or family and willing to commit at least two hours a week as a volunteer for the organization's hospice or Transitions program. Next training session: begins Sunday, Jan. 22, 9 am-3 pm, in Rockville. Email Carrie Myatt or call 301-816-2611 at least five days in advance.

FrogWatch Volunteer Training: Study identification of frog and toad calls in preparation for serving as volunteer with the national FrogWatch program, which tracks data on these amphibians and the wetlands they inhabit. After attending a 90-minute training session sponsored by the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, volunteers are asked to monitor a wetlands site for a three-minute period 30 minutes after sunset every week during the breeding season (February through August). Next session: Tuesday, Jan. 24, 6:30-8 pm, in Rockville. Email Ana Arriaza or call 240-777-7778.

Bone Builders Teacher Training: Learn and practice exercises designed to improve balance and increase bone density in preparation for leading free Bone Builder exercise classes for seniors throughout the county. Sponsored by the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. Next session: Friday, Feb. 3, and Monday, Feb. 6, 8 am-5 pm, in Rockville. Email Phyllis Elperin or call 240-773-8268.

Of course you do! The real question is which ones you'll nominate for the 2017 Montgomery Serves Awards. This prestigious annual awards program, Montgomery County's highest honor for service, recognizes volunteer efforts in the following categories:

• Neal Potter Path of Achievement Award, for lifetime service by residents age 60 and up
• Youth Achievement Award, for extraordinary volunteerism by residents 18 and under
• Corporate Award, for outstanding volunteerism by a corporation
• Community Service Awards, for extraordinary volunteerism by an individual or group

Nomination forms are now available online and are due on Friday, Feb. 24, at 5 pm.

Award recipients will be honored at a gala ceremony the evening of Monday, April 24, at Imagination Stage in Bethesda.

Make a Difference, a monthly County Cable Montgomery program, highlights the contributions of stellar county volunteers and organizations that contribute positively to our community. This month's featured video explores the efforts of volunteers with EveryMind, including those who answer calls and texts for the organization's crisis hotline as well as those who help disabled, low-income residents manage their finances.