In honor of the heroism and sacrifice of veterans and first responders, Washington State University’s 9/11 Day of Service will provide students with opportunities to transform what is known as a day of tragedy into one of unity, service, and community strength.
The Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) is organizing volunteer opportunities for students both in Pullman and on the Global Campus. Some of these opportunities will have a special focus on serving veterans and first responders.
Over 30 in-person service projects will be available for Pullman students to choose from — 15 in the morning and 15 in the afternoon — and transportation will be provided for each. Global students can participate in any service opportunity in their community on that day. View service projects, meeting times, and register online.
“This will be the biggest one-day event we have ever done,” said Jessica Perone, CCE assistant director. “Our goal is to have over 200 student volunteers in Pullman.”
Changing the narrative through service
WSU’s 9/11 Day of Service, with its special focus on veterans and first responders, is supported by a $5,000 grant awarded to CCE by the Washington Campus Coalition for the Public Good, a network of Northwest higher education institutions devoted to educating students about civic leadership.
As part of that education, Perone said a brief kickoff event will be held just before volunteers leave for the morning and afternoon service projects, where they can learn about the events of Sept. 11, 2001, and why it is important to give back to our communities.
Pullman Mayor Francis Benjamin will attend both kickoff sessions and participate in a morning volunteer project.
“Participating in the 9/11 Day of Service is a great way for us, as individuals or as a community, to say thank you for the work they do,” Benjamin said. “It’s also an opportunity to help them in ways that make their jobs easier, thereby increasing the quality of service they provide to us.”
Participating in the 9/11 Day of Service is a great way for us, as individuals or as a community, to say thank you for the work they do.
Francis Benjamin, mayor
City of Pullman
Among the service projects planned for Pullman first responders are painting a shed and performing yard work at the city’s two fire stations.
“It is our turn to give back to them in ways that can be helpful,” Perone said. “9/11 was a tragic day, but by serving our communities, meeting new people, and giving our time and effort, we are contributing something positive that can help change that narrative a bit.”
‘The lifeblood of our community’
Charice DeGuzman, licensed mental health therapist and multicultural specialist in WSU’s Counseling & Psychological Services, helped CCE plan the 9/11 Day of Service. She and her husband are Army veterans and said any help students can provide means a lot.
“For many veterans, it is difficult to ask for help, but they can really benefit from it,” DeGuzman said. “Whether it’s helping them around the yard or cleaning their house, it doesn’t have to be much to make a difference in their lives.”
The same goes for everyone in the community, Benjamin said. Other projects scheduled for 9/11 include cleaning up gardens at Koppel Farms, trail building and maintenance, and assisting at the Pullman Depot Heritage Center, Sojourners Alliance, and Circles of Caring, among others.
The Student Affairs video team will be on-site during some projects to capture students performing service. The video was requested by Siskel/Jacobs Production Company, based in Chicago, to be included in a new documentary about 9/11 and how communities across the country commemorate it through volunteerism.
“I believe service is the lifeblood of our community,” Benjamin said. “Caring about the people around you, thinking not about yourself but the impact you can make in others’ lives, lifts people up.”
