As this year’s September 11 falls on a Wednesday, Oneida County opted to observe the 9/11 Day of Service over the weekend, in order to allow as many people to participate as possible.  Across the various projects underway throughout the valley, scores of people turned out to aid in a variety of community support and beautification projects.  From the downtown parking lot west of the co-op to Samaria and Holbrook, the many projects underway Saturday morning proved the truth of the expression “many hands make light work.”

Ron Moon led a group of volunteers in the cleaning of the on/off ramps at Exits 13 and 3.  As the first area that visitors encounter when they come into town, the appearance of the exits sets the tone for the rest of the valley.  While not overly cluttered, the groups filled several bags with refuse and other material.

At the Presbyterian Church, Toni Werk welcomed many volunteers to help collect and remove tree branches that had recently been trimmed and left for collection.  The project involved a number of different groups and people, including  Arrowhead Tree Service, Boy Scout Troop 1776, and many volunteers.  Steve and Gia Haycock made Strawberry crepes for those who came to help on Saturday.  Remember that when you plan your service next year!

Ray Hubbard oversaw painting and cleanup at the park in Holbrook.

Samaria was in a painting mood as well, as volunteers converged on the Blue Goose and two other smaller buildings to apply new coats of paint.  Luke Waldron spent the morning back and forth between the buildings, which were in need of paint scraping and then generous supplies of paint.  The project has been discussed for many years, but the town dove for the Day of Service, and the results look fantastic.

As in other years, one of the primary points of focus for the Day of Service was collecting food for Carol’s Pantry, Oneida County’s primary food security storehouse.  Food was collected from around Oneida County in the lead-up to Saturday’s delivery to the pantry, sorted at the Victory Baptist Church by a veritable army of helpers, and then taken out to the Crisis Center to be stocked on the shelves of the pantry.  Fall is the beginning of the largest need season for families with regard to food supplies, and the food drive is right on time to help supplement the regular donations throughout the year.  Once again, the Boy Scouts were on hand to help out, as well as countless members of the community.  Food was provided at the church to those helping out.   

The National Day of Service and Remembrance was originally founded by the non-profit MyGoodDeed as a way of honoring the memories of those who died in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, as well as keeping the spirit of service that followed alive within the country.  “We wanted to make sure the terrorists didn’t have the last word in forever defining for generations how Americans would remember and observe 9/11,” said MyGoodDeed co-founder David Paine.  The Day was officially recognized by a bipartisan act of Congress in 2009, and has gained prominence and participation each year since then.  

Many organizations, including JustServe.org and others, have promoted the observation of the day in an organized manner.  Oneida County has followed suit, and the various leaders of the projects undertaken on the day coordinate with others to make the event as large and productive as possible.

Many individuals also observe the day on their own time, and use the day as a time to help their neighbors, their families, and their communities with projects that need doing.  In addition to being a good motivation to finish or undertake projects in need of completion, the Day of Service and Remembrance also has the mission of increasing the ties that bind communities together, and fostering a shared sense of effort and connection.  In that sense, the Day of Service has been a remarkable success.  Each of the projects involved in the county saw volunteers from across all age rages—from those just old enough to carry a small branch to a trailer to those with decades of experience—as well as backgrounds, faiths, professions, etc.   Oftentimes, especially after the school year gets going with its attendant scheduling issues, the hectic movement from place to place and activity to activity can create a sense of fragmentation and isolation. Many people have just enough time and energy to think about whatever it is they have to do right then.  A day like Saturday really allows for a shift in perspective, a way to recalibrate to the larger picture of what’s going on in the larger community and even the country as a whole.

While it has never been billed as a relaxing day, the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance has certainly become a day that has the potential to rekindle people’s sense of belonging to a community that is larger than themselves, and working together to make it the best community possible.