By Rita Arancibia, Volunteer Clarksville
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – This year marks the 13th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks that changed our nation forever. In the days and weeks that followed, our nation came together in an unprecedented spirit of community and commitment.
Our nation’s extraordinary response to the September 11 tragedy demonstrated that compassion for those in need is a very powerful and unifying force. The Clarksville-Montgomery County 9/11 Days of Service project encourages citizens and groups to plan service projects in our community to reignite that same feeling of service on the anniversary of the attacks.
Teachers, mentors, and other educators can access lesson plans, videos, photos, and tool kits at 911day.org to help provide constructive lessons on the events of September 11, engage students in this important topic and encourage them to participate in 9/11 service projects.
All groups and individuals from across the community are encouraged to register their 9/11 service project plans so that they are added to our database.
Visit www.volunteerclarksville.volunteerhub.com to find existing volunteer opportunities.
To host a food drive or supply drive for a local nonprofit call 931-551-5450 for details. If you would simply like to share a service project or good deed you intend to perform during the 9/11 Serve to Remember Days of Service from September 1-11, 2014, post your plans on the 9/11 Serve to Remember Days of Service Facebook page, 911day.org, or Facebook.com/911day.
Help us reach our 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance goal of 800 acts of service. By dedicating your time, talent, voice, and resources, you will help us commemorate the lives lost 13 years ago and recognize the power of service to solve our communities’ most pressing issues.
For more information e-mail us at volunteerclarksville@gmail.com and please follow us on Facebook.
Volunteer Opportunities
Donate: Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen needs 24 unpadded folding chairs for the dining room.
Food Drive: Salvation Army Food Pantry – September 6, 2014 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. 210 Kraft Street. Drop off nonperishable and canned goods to help restock dwindling food pantry.
Single Day of Service Opportunities:
Loaves and Fishes Kitchen Clean Up Day- September 6, 2014 from 2:00pm – 4:30pm (2.5 hours) 8 volunteers are needed to help clean tables, chairs, walk-in refrigerator, floors and windows at the Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen located 215 Foster Street, Clarksville.
City of Clarksville Parks and Recreation Burchett Park Project hosted by Deanna McLaughflin and Volunteer Clarksville -September 7, 2014 9:00 am- 4:00 pm ( Shifts are available)
Burchett Park is located at 520 Roselawn Drive. It is in a neighborhood where many Ft. Campbell soldiers and their families live. 50-60 Volunteers are needed on this single day of service helping with pavilion repairs, painting playground equipment, painting parking lot spaces, removal of old landscape timbers, spreading pea gravel in the playground areas and general clean up, etc. Donations for this project are also needed.
Pillars of Hope Public Art Project– Thursday, September 4, 10:00am – 1:00pm (3 hours)
Four volunteers are needed to help tear down the Pillars of Hope exhibit at Ajax Senior Center and set up at the Clarksville Public Library. Some bending and lifting required.
The Pillars of Hope is a commemorative piece of public art to honor and remember those who serve. The project began in 2012, a collaborative project of Volunteer Clarksville and Hand on Nashville with support from the Corporation for National and
Community Service and the Clarksville Montgomery County Arts and Heritage. The project is part of the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance initiative.
The Pillars of Hope Exhibit will be travelling to two locations during the 9/11 Serve to Remember Days of Service event. Please plan to visit Ajax Senior Center beginning August 20-September 3 during regular business hours or the Clarksville Public Library between September 4-17 to view this special piece of public art created by citizens, students and seniors honoring our heroes.
Donate to the Pillars of Hope and Paint a Commemorative Tile: The Pottery Room and the 9/11 Serve to Remember project will host “Remembering 9/11.” Individuals are invited to paint a remembrance tile on September 11 from 11:00 am- 7:00 pm. at the Madison Street Pottery Room location. The cost to paint a tile is $ 5.00. All proceeds will be used to maintain the 9/11 Pillars of Hope. The painted tiles will be yours to take home as a commemorative reminder of the resilience of our nation and its people.
Growing Seeds of Hope Planting- Rotary Park, Sunday, September 7, 1:00- 3:30 pm. (2.5 hours)
Volunteers of all ages are needed to help plant seed balls at Rotary Park in Remembrance of 9/11. The event is part of the annual 9/11 Serve to Remember Days of Service. This project hopes to honor and remember those who were lost by creating a lasting perennial wild flower garden at Rotary Park. The flowers will remind us that life goes on, in all of nature’s wondrous forms.
8000 seed balls will be used for this project. The Seed balls will be cheerful perennials and endangered species from our region and compatible with the distribution area.
Family Friendly! Donate and Paint a bowl for Empty Bowls 2015, September 2-7 & 9-11. Visit the one of the Pottery Room locations in Clarksville and purchase a bowl for $ 10.00- then paint and decorate your bowl. The bowls will be donated to the Empty Bowl 2015 event. Learn more about Empty Bowls Clarksville here.