Remembering 9/11 Amid Coronavirus: Events In Tampa Bay

TAMPA BAY, FL — Since that day on Sept. 11, 2001, that forever changed America, the nation has come together annually to commemorate the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the more than 3,200 people who lost their lives.

However, as the 19th anniversary of the attacks arrives, Sept. 11 commemorations are likely to look different.

This year, as Americans also mourn the 189,000 people in the country who have died due to the coronavirus, many traditional Sept. 11 commemorative ceremonies have been canceled or scaled back for safety reasons.

Americorps and Senior Corps, which make up the Corporation for National & Community Service, are asking individuals, communities, organizations and governments that are planning events to register them on the Corporation for National & Community Service website.

In lieu of large-scale ceremonies during the coronavirus pandemic, the CNCS suggests that communities sponsor service projects to honor those who died in the terrorist attacks and war on terror.

Ideas include:

• Collect school supplies and deliver them to a local school (make sure to find out what they need first).
• Sign up to serve meals to those at risk of hunger.
• Work with a local food bank or pantry to collect donations.
• Sign up to be a mentor or tutor.
• Beautify a local park or community space – fall is a good time to plant trees and spring blooming bulbs.
• Check with your local fire station and see if you can organize a fall clean up or serve them a meal while observing local restrictions for the coronavirus.
• Arrange a virtual visit to a veterans’ center. You can also check with the center to see if they need personal care items and launch a collection drive.
• Check out our 10 Ways to Safely Help Your Community COVID-19.
• Join your neighbors for a virtual meeting to assess your community's disaster preparedness and take steps to support improvements. Find more information at Ready.gov.
• Add a moment of silence to your project to honor 9/11 victims and their families.
• You may have neighbors who could use assistance preparing their homes for the winter months. Or you may belong to an organization that knows of residents who could use some assistance getting ready for winter. Here are some tips from the Department of Energy on saving energy in the fall and winter, and steps you can take to make sure you and your neighbors are ready for colder weather.
• Home fires increase during the winter months. The American Red Cross has toolkits and safety tips to help prevent home fires. You might also partner with your local fire department to install smoke alarms in neighborhoods with the highest incidence of home fires.

Remember to register your service project with the CNCS so it can help spread the word and inspire others to serve.

Residents can also check out the website to find volunteer opportunities available in their communities to commemorate the heroes of Sept. 11.

If you have a Sept. 11 remembrance or service project you would like to share, be sure to add it to the Patch calendar.