Friday marks the 8th anniversary of 9/11.
Westporter Ellen Bowen has not forgotten that horrific day. Right now she’s working with MyGoodDeed, a non-profit that is helping organize Friday’s National Day of Service and Remembrance.
Events are planned across the country, as a wonderful, productive way of honoring that day’s heroes, victims and recovery workers — those who died, and those still suffering.
Ellen pointed me to a special website — 911.DayofService.org — that is coordinating volunteer projects. A quick search for local activities turned up — nothing.
Ellen is unbowed. “Doing any simple good deed is fine,” she says. “Go through your closets and give to Goodwill — or give sheets and winter bedding to the Gillespie Center. Drop off groceries at the Connecticut Food Bank in Fairfield. Donate blood at the Red Cross in Norwalk.”
The Senior Center needs 3 volunteers on Friday: 2 to serve lunch from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 1 to pick up meals from 10-11 a.m., and deliver them to homebound seniors. (Call Joan Upchurch at 203-341-5097 to confirm.)
Other options: Clean up your favorite part of Westport. Create a personal project. Stop by the home of that elderly, sick or overburdened neighbor you’ve always been meaning to call.
“Even if you did not directly know anyone who perished that day, we all remember exactly where we were and how helpless we felt we could not help,” Ellen says. “This is an opportunity to help now. Reach out and volunteer on 9/11.”
Each of us has 2 days to figure out what we can do, where, and with whom.
And 1 day to really make it count.
The 9/11 memorial at Sherwood Island State Park
