What is 9/11 Day of Service?

My generation, the “Millennials,” experienced one of the most traumatic events in human history – the live coverage of the terrorist attacks on September 11^th, 2001. Many of us were severely impacted from that historic day and it helped shape the course of our lives, myself included.

And yet, through all of the devastation and chaos arose an untold number of stories of man helping fellow man. Those people serve as permanent models and pure definitions of a Good Samaritan. Though those rescuers often went above and beyond what anyone asked of them, there is a lot that we can learn about service in our own communities.

In 2009, Congress designated September 11^th as National Day of Service and Remembrance. The goal is to encourage Americans to participate in their communities to benefit our way of life. This can include food drives, events to support the military, their families, and veterans, and volunteering at a local school. Here in Tulare County, we have our own event: the Tulare 9/11 Rotary Memorial Blood Drive. The event will take place from 6:00am – 7:00pm at the Tulare Veterans Memorial Building. It is a fantastic way to give back to the community by donating blood and saving a life. If you're worried about donating blood, don't worry – many people donate for the very first time at this event.

This year, the event will also emphasize disaster preparedness and the American Red Cross will be there to answer your preparedness questions.

For more information, be sure to check out the following sites:

Tulare 9/11 Rotary Memorial Blood Drive: http://www.tulare911mbd.com/#

September 11^th National Day of Service and Remembrance: http://www.serve.gov/?q=site-page/september-11th-national-day-service-and-remembrance

Amitai "Tai" S. Zuckerman
AmeriCorps NPRC Member 2013-2014
Preparedness Coordinator
Community Preparedness and Resilience Services
American Red Cross – Tulare and Kings Counties

amitai.zuckerman@redcross.org