If your New Year’s resolution includes a refreshed commitment to giving back to the community, you’re in luck! Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is coming up this month, and Philadelphia is one of the best places to be for this day of service. Hundreds of community-oriented projects, including many right near your The Isle apartment, are scheduled for Jan. 20 to pay tribute to the work of the late civil-rights icon. Whether it’s serving meals to the homeless, painting a local rec center, organizing a donation drive or cleaning up a neighborhood park, there are countless opportunities to roll up your sleeves and spend your day off making Manayunk and the surrounding areas an even better place to live!

One such opportunity is at Wissahickon Valley Park, about one mile from your The Isle apartment. The 1,800-acre park attracts exercise and nature enthusiasts year-round to enjoy the trails, waterways and historic buildings situated within the centuries-old parkland.

Each year, the Friends of the Wissahickon organize a day of service in honor of MLK Day to help clean up different areas of the beloved park, and Thomas Mansion is the focus of this year’s event. Built 150 years ago, the sprawling mansion is in need of ongoing maintenance as—since it’s right in the middle of the park—it’s at risk of overgrowth from the surrounding wooded area. Join other local volunteers to uproot weeds, pick up branches and tidy up the grounds. Thomas Mansion is a gem of historic Philadelphia architecture and landscaping and, without the support and dedication of the volunteers who pitch in on MLK Day and throughout the year, could run the risk of falling into disrepair.

So bundle up, get out some work gloves and sturdy boots and head over to the park to give back this MLK Day!

Thomas Mansion

6245 Wissahickon Ave.

Philadelphia, PA 19144

215-247-0417