2,997 lives, 2,997 flags: remembering 9/11

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Kristina Aiad-Toss

The flags were put into the ground in Coleman Common last week.

By Keli Geers and Kate Uhelsky

In remembrance of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, employees of the UA Center for Service and Leadership placed miniature American flags in the grass of Coleman Common last week. Each of the 2,997 American flags memorialized the life of someone who died the day when 19 members of al-Qaeda seized four passenger planes and flew American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia; American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City; and crashed United Flight 93 into a field in rural Pennsylvania, thus committing the deadliest terror attack in modern history.

ServeAkron, an organization that is part of the Center for Service and Leadership, invited students to pledge random acts of kindness in honor of the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance.

This day “is about promoting unity and putting aside differences,” said Ashley Ritter, the president of the Zips Programming Network.

During the event, students wrote their good deeds on whiteboards and posed for pictures, which can be found by searching the hashtag #UAIWill on Twitter.

ServeAkron also collected donations toward the Wounded Warrior Project from Sept. 8 to 12.

Those interested in learning more about ServeAkron should contact [email protected].