Patriot Day 2011: Remembering 9/11 & Honoring Them by Helping Others

September 11th 2001, a day we will never forget nor should we.  Ten years later, I can still remember everything about that day from beginning to end.  My husband left for work an hour early, my daughter had just turned 10 months old, and our morning had started just as any other day.  While watching the morning news, I heard someone say the WTC North tower had been hit by a plane.  From that moment on I was glued to the news, answering the phone, or calling friends and family.  My husband's work closed up early.  Friends in other states were calling saying their works were closing early.  My sister, still in highschool, watched the broadcast in a classroom as did many other area students.  It was a day that changed all of us no matter where we were or who we were, we all felt something and it was life altering.

As the years have past, 9/11 has slowly become more than just a day of remembrance, for some it has become a day of service, a day when communities come together and volunteer where ever it is needed.  Today being the tenth anniversary, that was more apparent than ever.  With recent natural disasters, we have seen this outpouring of overwhelming help to those in need.  

To honor those we lost on 9/11, Art Hill in Forest Park was transformed this year in to a beautiful memorial: America's Heartland Remembers

 A flag was placed for every person lost that day, with their name and picture displayed on each flag pole.  The flags will be on display from now until September 19th, at which time they will be made available to anyone whom makes a donation of $20 to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund. 

A few sites to visit if you are looking for ways to be of service in your community:

http://www.uso.org/ways-to-volunteer.aspx

http://www.volunteermatch.org/search/index.jsp?r=msa&l=63627

http://www.stlouischildrens.org/content/giving/default.htm

http://www.communityservice.wustl.edu/stlagencies/display.php?listchar=S

http://www.stl.unitedway.org/volunteer.aspx

http://www.habitatstl.org/construction/volunteeropportunities/


We will never forget those we lost, the bravery of the men and women that helped so many that day, the families that were forever changed...9/11/2011