I remember the day very clearly. I was walking towards second period when teachers began calling for all students to gather in the auditorium. An upper school of approximately 270 students, we were quickly gathered in one large room where the nervous energy and tension was felt and heard. Our head master gave us the news regarding the first tower and the large front screen had CNN coverage for everyone to see.
Immediately I felt as if I had just been punched in the stomach. My aunt, who at this point was still living in New York City, worked nearby and often frequented the area. What if she had been in the building? Did she have meetings downtown today?
I ran out of the auditorium, immediately calling my parents. Within minutes, my heart settled when I heard the news that she was safe and no where near the area. However, she had lost many dear friends and colleagues that day.
Ten years later, I still think about this day on almost a weekly basis. Whether it’s the air travel rules I experience each time I fly, the feeling as I run by Ground Zero, or the semi-annual emergency evacuation drills our office is required to conduct post 9/11.
While many unspeakable things happened that day and in the weeks that followed, there are also wonderful things, reflecting the hope of our nation, that were inspired by 9/11. One of those things is the Pay It Forward challenge. I rarely advertise things like this on my blog but when Zach spoke about this amazing cause I knew I needed to share it with you all!
The Pay It Forward challenge was started after Kevin Tuerff experienced life changing kindness from the residences of Gander, Newfoundland when his September 11th flight was diverted due to the attacks.
Kevin was stranded in the small Canadian town after 38 jumbo jets unexpectedly landed there when U.S. airspace closed due to the terrorist attacks. Along with his fellow passengers, Kevin sat onboard for 10 hours without knowing the extent of the attacks. When finally let off the plane, he and about 7,000 other stranded passengers had no access to their luggage, no food and no place to stay. The 10,000 people from the small town of Gander provided food, clothing and shelter for a group of travelerss they had never met before. Six days later, Kevin made it home to Texas.
To honor Gander’s kindness, each year on September 11 Kevin gives teams of two employees at EnviroMedia $100 and time off to perform good deeds for strangers. Over nine years, Pay It Forward 9/11 has spread to other businesses and across the country.
Since 2001, he’s given away nearly $17,000 to strangers through the “Pay It Forward 9/11” program.
This year, the organization is challenging people around the U.S. to perform 10,000 acts of kindness – and to spread the word on Twitter. For every act, the organization is donating $1 to the Pay It Forward Foundation up to $10,000. We’ll have street teams going out around U.S. cities all day on Friday, September 9th – each with $100. We’ll be asking people to “pay it forward” and help us get to 10,000 people. The goal is simple – Follow @PIFFoundation, spread the word (ask others to Follow and RT), and do something kind for a stranger.
My good friend Zach, who is involved with the program, has participated at a personal level the past two years. I love the story of his first act of kindness, performed two years ago.
Two years ago for 9/11, I went to my old music school with $200 and paid for students’ cello lessons. I’ll never forget that the school director was asking who I’d studied with many years ago. My cello teacher had recently passed away from cancer, and one of her former students was there taking lessons with another teacher. She asked if I wanted to pay for her lesson in my teacher’s honor, and I went to see her and told her that it was covered. I told her my name and she said, "Oh, Zach, yes, Mrs. Blumberg used to tell me about you! You were one of her favorite students." I cried like a baby!
How will you help honor the lives of all those who died on 9/11 and the volunteers across the world who stepped up during a time of need?
