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In Service and Commemoration

September 16, 2011 at 12:00 PM ET by Shira Miller and Danny Lampton
Summary: 
CEQ staff travelled to Annapolis, Maryland on the 10th anniversary of September 11th, 2001, to pay tribute to those we've lost through service.

This past weekend, our Nation commemorated the 10th anniversary of the tragic events of September 11th. We remembered those we lost and stood with their families and loved ones.

In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, many Americans were compelled to serve their fellow citizens and communities. As a tribute to that spirit of unity – and to honor those we lost – September 11 has been designated a National Day of Service and Remembrance. On Sunday, we were honored to join CEQ Chair Nancy Sutley for a Day of Service and Remembrance organized by the Volunteer Center for Anne Arundel County in Annapolis, Maryland.

Sutley Service

Chair Nancy Sutley delivers remarks at the opening ceremony of Project Green: 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance. (Photo Credit: Mary McGuirt with the Historic Annapolis Patch)

The day began with a ceremony at the Maryland World War II Memorial to commemorate those who have lost their lives in service. We then joined volunteers, including members of the US Naval Academy Midshipmen Action Group, at Jonas Green Park for clean-up activities including debris collection, weeding, planting native species and controlling storm water runoff to better protect the health of the community and the Chesapeake Bay. Our efforts were focused in the rain garden, where weeding and planting were essential to absorb rain water and improve water quality in the surrounding Bay.

Rain Garden

CEQ's Danny Lampton and a local volunteer work in the rain garden just steps away from the Severn River in Annapolis, Maryland.

The effort was part of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup, the world’s largest volunteer effort for ocean health. As we got our hands dirty in Jonas Green Park, we were joining nearly half a million others around the world in protecting the coast lines and waterways that are vital to the health of our communities. 

The day was a humbling and empowering reminder of what can be accomplished when we draw on our national spirit of unity and service.

Shira Miller and Danny Lampton both work at the Council on Environmental Quality