The events of Sept. 11, 2001 significantly affected our nation. Now, 12 years later, local non-profit network, HandsOn Santa Clarita is looking to remember and pay tribute to the victims and first responders at the World Trade Center, by supporting local first-responders through volunteer projects.
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They are asking the community to help them “serve those who serve us,” according to their website.
There will be a number of volunteer opportunities available for the “9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance.” Teams will paint, clean and perform odd jobs at the local Sheriff’s and fire stations. HandsOn volunteers will also deliver meals and care packages to fire and American Medical Response stations.
In the evening, there will be a commemorative ceremony at the Westfield Valencia mall in honor of those who fell on Sept. 11 and those first-responders who serve the local community every day. From 5 to 7 p.m., families can interact with fire trucks and military vehicles and enjoy food vendors. The ceremony will start at 7 p.m., featuring several speakers, including Mayor Bob Kellar.
HandsOn Executive Director Seema Shah said that they hope the event raises awareness for Sept. 11, especially for children who may not remember or know about it.
HandsOn Santa Clarita is a non-profit network that connects organizations across the valley and surrounding area.
It was founded 15 years ago, in part by city staff, who saw the need for a central volunteer hub, Shah said.
She said that the network started out very small, without a large presence in the community and with only one event each year, Make a Difference Day.
Make a Difference Day contributed 100,000 volunteer hours to the community every year, but Shah said that HandsOn has grown even more in the last couple of years, focusing on connecting volunteers to organizations through their online database and keeping track of community service hours through their court referral program.
Shah said that the court referral program alone has contributed 150,000 service hours in the last two years.
HandsOn is also planning their inaugural 5K/10K run in November, and two community service days in the spring. Check back for more details on these events.
To learn more about how you can be a part of the “9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance,” click here or visit their Facebook page.
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Source: Santa Clarita News
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