PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 21, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Independence Blue Cross (IBC) associates joined with thousands of volunteers today for the 18th Annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service. IBC associates celebrated the memory of Dr. King with a "day on," not a "day off," and participated in several community projects throughout day.
"Dr. King famously said, 'Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve," and today we especially remember this important message," said Lorina Marshall-Blake, president of the Independence Blue Cross Foundation and Day of Service volunteer. "Today we celebrate and honor all that Dr. King stood for, and join together to improve our community. I am thrilled to take part in this celebration of service with the IBC volunteers and all the volunteers who served today."
Members of the Blue Crew, IBC's corporate volunteer program, and their children participated in five projects, including:
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Netbook Distribution Project to Bridge the Digital Divide
Volunteers distributed netbook computers to Philadelphia Housing Authority residents to bridge the digital divide, and completed a series of activities to help residents become familiar with using the computers.
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American Red Cross: I Have a Dream Mural
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream speech, volunteers decorated individual quilt squares with paint to reflect their hopes, dreams, and aspirations for the future. The squares will be fashioned together to create an I Have a Dream mural.
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Philadelphia Freedom Fighters Workshop
This two-hour workshop offered students, community members, and volunteers a unique opportunity to learn firsthand about the roles and responsibilities of key civil rights leaders who participated in the desegregation of Girard College.
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CPR Training
The Philadelphia Fire Department's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Training Unit delivered CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) training. EMS training staff coached volunteers in hands-on CPR techniques, addressed questions, and performed additional coaching.
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United Way of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey Do Gooder Awards Consulting Project
Experienced volunteers provided consulting services to non-profit agencies and advised them on best practices in selecting and defining projects that are suitable and sustainable for their organization.
Independence Blue Cross is a sponsor of the 2013 Martin Luther King Day of Service which celebrates Dr. King by transforming the federal holiday into a day of active citizenship. The event is organized by Global Citizen, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting civic engagement, community volunteering, civic responsibility, and sustained active citizenship.
About Independence Blue Cross
Proudly celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2013, Independence Blue Cross is a leading health insurer in southeastern Pennsylvania. With our affiliates, we have 3.1 million members nationwide. We are enhancing the health and wellness of the people and communities we serve by delivering innovative and competitively priced health care products and services; pioneering new ways to reward doctors, hospitals, and other health care professionals for coordinated, quality care; and supporting programs and events that promote wellness. To learn more about how we're changing the game, visit www.ibx.com. Connect with us on Facebook at ibx.com/facebook and on Twitter at @ibx. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
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| [Image] | Independence Blue Cross Blue Crew volunteers help distribute Netbook computers and paint murals at the Martin Luther King Day of Service at Girard College in Philadelphia |