The bright, white Washington D.C. Temple stands on a lush green hill and has been drawing Latter-day Saints and curious neighbors to its grounds since its 1974 dedication — the first temple built on the East Coast of the United States.
Standing next to it is the Washington D.C. Temple Visitors’ Center, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year.
Beyond its daily operations, the visitors’ center hosts Christmas festivals, watch parties and concerts for the community year-round. In its “Golden Jubilee” celebration June 15, community leaders, government officials and hundreds of local residents gathered to highlight half a century of impact by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Maryland.
‘Service truly unites us and saves us’
In the celebration, the Church presented the JustServe Hero Award to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a prestigious recognition awarded to an individual dedicated to consistent service.
JustServe is a free website and app sponsored by the Church for any organization to list its volunteer needs and for volunteers to find service opportunities in their area.
In 2023, Moore launched the JustServe platform across the state of Maryland and initiated the Service Year Option, a program for recent high school graduates to render thoughtful service across the state.
Maria Martinez, Moore’s senior advisor who accepted the award on his behalf, said, “Our communities are only as strong as our willingness to serve one another.”
Standing at the podium and sharing her story of surviving domestic violence and homelessness, Martinez added, “I don’t know where I’d be today if not for the wonderful people who volunteered their time, talent and treasure to lift individuals like myself up.”
Speaking of Maryland’s newest “JustServe cities” — municipalities who consistently encourage service — she said: “You are the living proof of the conviction that drives us all forward: that service truly unites and saves us.”
Martinez praised the JustServe platform and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for turning compassion into direct, localized action.
Concluding her remarks and speaking of the visitors’ center, she said: “The center stands as a sanctuary of peace where people from all walks of life can come to learn, reflect and to find comfort.”
