The countdown to National Day of Service – How you are invited to serve

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – JustServe Idaho Falls is encouraging people across eastern Idaho to do daily acts of service leading up National Day of Service and Remembrance on Sept. 11.

Each year since the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in 2001, Sept. 11 has been known as Patriot Day. In 2009, Congress requested we also recognize it as National Day of Service and Remembrance. It's a way for people across the nation to serve their communities to remember victims from the attack.

We spoke with some people who lived in New York during the 9/11 attack.

In 2001, Wendy Palkki typically worked in Manhattan a few blocks away from the WTC. She says on Sept. 11, she had a feeling that she should work in the Queens office that day, not knowing what would happen. Palkki says she watched the towers as they fell, leaving her shocked and emotional.

She says service is what was able to help her community cope with the devastation through donating blood, reaching out and supporting others, some even going through the destruction trying to find people.

"Everybody was united in a common goal," Palkki said. "We all wanted to survive, we all had survived, and we wanted to help each other thrive after that."

Although Sept. 11, 2001 was a horrific day, they love that it invites people to remember by serving.

"I think it's a wonderful proactive way to remember," Palkki says, "I think for the first several years after... I really didn't like 9/11, you know. I didn't like thinking about it. And all those feelings would come back and you would have the images in your mind and everything. And so, I'm glad that it finally turned into a day of service."

JustServe Idaho Falls Specialist Susan Stucki is helping people find ways to serve. JustServe is an organization connecting volunteers with service opportunities.

Stucki encourages people to serve no matter how big or small the act is. She has compiled a list of ideas along with a countdown to National Day of Service and Remembrance, where people can plan out their projects. She hopes people will pick at least one thing to do each day for someone in their community.

You can find and print the countdown below.

More ideas and service projects can be found on the JustServe website. They are always looking for volunteers to spread joy in the community through acts of service.