In the fall of 2001, less than a year following a fraught and disputed presidential election, America was stunned by the single most devastating act of terrorism to ever strike its soil.
Much has been written about 9/11 and the seismic geopolitical and domestic changes that followed. The most poignant memory I have of that day was standing in line to give blood at the University of Utah, along with dozens of Americans who had shown up without an appointment. Thousands of others stood in line nationwide hoping to contribute in some way as the unfolding horror played out on television screens worldwide.
We weren’t the only ones. In Garrett Graff’s stunning compilation of 9/11 oral histories, “The Only Plane in the Sky,” Ileana Mayorga, a management specialist at Volunteer Arlington, recounted working the phones not far from the horrific attack on the Pentagon:
“At 1:00 the phone started ringing [with] people who want[ed] to come and help. I put the names of all these people in an Excel sheet and what it is that they wanted to do. They wanted to help dig out the people at the Pentagon. They wanted to secure the area themselves. They wanted to enlist to go and fight. I had a man who called and he said, ‘I am 80 years old. I still fit in my pilot uniform from World War II. I can still see. I can still hear. I have kept up with my training as a pilot. Tell whoever you can tell that I’m ready to report for duty.’”
One company called offering to purchase trucks to help remove the debris. At the Pentagon site, FBI Special Agent Chris Combs reported that grocery store employees and private citizens arrived without prompting to give food and water to rescue workers and investigators.
Perhaps it’s fitting that the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks occurs the same year that we are celebrating the 250th anniversary of America’s independence. As a country we have chosen to celebrate our miraculous birthday and stunning history in many ways.
Here in my town of Springville, we have enjoyed a visit from the Utah Symphony playing rousing American tunes, patriotic displays at our Civic Center, and activities at our Library and Art Museum. As summer gives way to fall, the celebration is not over. Whether you have been totally plugged into America’s 250th, have cheered on from the sidelines or have even felt a bit distant from the celebrations, there is no better way to commemorate all that is good in our country and revive the American spirit than to give of yourself.
This Saturday my neighborhood will be volunteering by maintaining a trail at a nearby park. That and dozens of other opportunities can be found at justserve.org. Food banks’ doors are open. Giving blood may save the life of a child you will never meet. For those whose time and health are barriers, the America250 organization has encouraged Americans to donate money to a charity of their choice. Organizations like the Red Cross, USO, American Legion, houses of worship, museums, or the high school or college you graduated from are all grateful for cash donations.
A visit or call to a widow or widower, a kind text message to an old friend, mowing the lawn of a sick neighbor or sending a thank you to a beloved teacher are all acts of service.
Twenty-five years ago on 9/11, and in the weeks that followed, strangers said hello, estranged family members patched things up, and acts of service small and great were rendered in airports, hospitals and schools all across this land. During that time, we were reminded again that the things that unite us are far greater than the things that divide us. Perhaps nothing helps strengthen the occasionally frayed “bonds of affection” that unite Americans more than giving service to others.