Volunteers remember Sept. 11 through service

Palm Coast Observer
Neighbors

The clank of hammers echoed through the neighborhood at Brice Lane the morning of Thursday, Sept. 11. An American flag flew from a wall that had already been raised prior to the start of the work day. About 30 volunteers, all clad in red shirts covered the surface of the concreate slab that will serve as the foundation for Joy Schlegel’s future home.

“These people are out here in response to 9/11 and what happened 13 years ago,” said Bob Northrup, vice president of the Flagler Habitat for Humanity board. “These people are giving back and rebuilding in response to that day.”

Flagler Habitat for Humanity joined fellow Habitat affiliates and hundreds of other organizations across the U.S. to commemorate the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks through volunteer service on this National Day of Service and Remembrance.

Before the hammering began, Thursday morning, volunteers were asked to first remember the events that brought them together for the build. They expressed having feelings of shock, anger, disbelief, fear and sadness as they learned about the Sept. 11 attacks 13 years ago but that standing on that slab, preparing to help frame a Habitat home they felt joy, hope, thankful, relief, grateful, blessed, safe and excited.

“I think one of the ways we can heal from 9/11 is to serve and build a better nation. This is a way of doing that,” said the Rev. Chris Magnell, of Christ Lutheran Church, who is also a major and chaplain in Florida National Guard. Magnell rang a bell throughout the morning signifying major events from the attack.

Future homeowner Schlegel said being chosen for this specific build day meant so much to her and that she cried when she first pulled up to the site knowing that her home would be part of the special day.

“What we saw on Sept. 11 was a lot of Americans coming together to help each other — it didn’t matter what your economic status was, what your religion was, whether you’re black or white, everybody just coming together and helping — and that’s what you see today,” Schlegel said. “American patriotism is still alive and well here today.”