9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance
Today's guest post is written by Matt Segneri, who leads civic and social innovation projects at Bennett Midland in New York City. He previously served as a senior advisor to Mayor Thomas Menino, whose office he joined as an HBS Leadership Fellow.
My alarm sounded well before dawn, as it did for dozens of citizens all over Massachusetts. We each found our own way to the Boston Public Garden, driven by a common desire to help, to heal, to honor.
Few of us knew each other but we gathered that day – the 10th anniversary of 9/11 – to build something together. With help from above and a few flashlights, we planted nearly 3,000 flags in the Garden of Remembrance to commemorate the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks.
It was a powerful shared experience on a sorrowful but inspiring day. And it provided the spark that would change the next year of my life.
Each year, volunteers come together to rekindle the spirit of unity that existed immediately after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. This day brings together cultures, bridges differences and unites citizens of goodwill around the world.
–Michelle Nunn
Last year My Good Deed launched The I Will campaign for the 10-year anniversary of 9/11. The result was extraordinary. A remarkable 33 million Americans, from all 50 states, engaged in good deeds and charitable service as a constructive way of observing 9/11 last year, according to independent research conducted in 2011 by Horizon Consumer Science for 9/11 Day.
Sept. 11, 2011, marks the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, as well as a federally recognized National Day of Service and Remembrance.
In today’s closing session, attendees enjoyed music from R&B legend Percy Sledge and a celebration of truly inspiring champions of service.