Denver Missionaries Help Pack 210,000 Meals on 9/11 Day of Service
By Corey Christiansen, Denver Metro Area News Media Specialist
As summer winds down each year, an important day of remembrance is honored and celebrated nationwide. September 11 is a day that will always bring up difficult memories, but the 9/11 Day organization is working to transform this national day of remembrance into a national day of service.
For the second straight year, Empower Field at Mile High was the staging area for a massive effort to pack meals for those at risk of hunger in the Denver metro area. More than 600 volunteers, including dozens of young missionaries from the Denver North Mission, gathered at the home of the Denver Broncos to pack meals for those in need.
Dressed in white, light blue and black JustServe shirts, the missionaries spent several hours packing bags and boxes full of food. Their infectious enthusiasm kept all of the volunteers, even Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, smiling, laughing and even dancing at times throughout the service project.
The volunteers packed more than 210,000 meals which will be donated to Community Food Share and Food Bank of the Rockies. And the Denver event was just one of many across the country organized by the 9/11 Day organization. In total, more than 27,000 volunteers across 24 cities in the United States packed 9.4 million meals for people in need.
The missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints described the event as a highlight of their ongoing efforts to serve the greater Denver community. Here are some of the thoughts they shared about the meal packing event:
Elder Cluff: “I loved being able to pack all of these meals. Doing service is a great way to build yourself up and also to help the community.”
Sister Finch: “Today was so amazing. I love being able to recognize the events that happened 24 years ago today even though I wasn’t there that day or even born yet. But it was such an amazing experience to unify and to do service on such an important day.”
Elder Cosme: “I love service. It’s absolutely so amazing. When we’re serving other people, we’re only in the service of our God. On this day of 9/11, everyone needs a little bit of help. It’s a day we always should remember and so it’s so amazing that we get to come out here and serve God and serve the people as well.”
Sister Johnston: “I loved today so much because it’s so cool seeing all these different people gathered on 9/11 to give back and to serve in any way they could. There were so many people here. This room was absolutely filled. And it’s just so incredible to see everyone working so hard, but also smiling so big. I loved it.”
Sister Lamb: “It was such an amazing opportunity to be here and to give back. 9/11 was a really tragic experience, but we love being able to serve and we’re grateful for all of the military and the firefighters and police officers who serve us as well. And this is one way we can give back with a smile on our face.”
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