The Bloomington Volunteer Network has dedicated this year's Week of Caring 2002 to "remember, respond and rebuild," in honor of those who died and were touched by the Sept. 11 attacks. The week of service will begin Sept. 6 and extend to Sept. 14.\nThe six-year-old program's goal is to bring the Bloomington community together with IU students to provide "social service, cultural, health and recreational organizations who depend on volunteers to keep their programs running," according to the BNV Web site.\nBNV director Bet Savich said this year's list of events includes 45 different service projects. \nThe list of volunteer activities includes supporting senior athletes at the Richland-Bean Blossom Health Care Center, a blood drive for the American Red Cross at College Mall, a school supply drive for local and Afghan children and a "Colors of Remembrance Unity Project," which Savich said will be a great project, but lacks volunteers as of now.\n"It's a project at Bloomington Hospitality House, which is a nursing home," she said. "We're going to have the residents design 5x5 wooden tiles as a way to reflect on Sept. 11 and melt them to a giant piece of plywood."\nSavich said volunteers are needed to act as buddies for the residents.\n"We're trying to promote volunteering by getting people to come out in groups and get people to work together," Savich said. "Our long-term goal is to get people involved in volunteering on a more regular basis."\nDarrell Ann Stone, advisor to the Volunteer Students Bureau and assistant director of Student Activities, said Week of Caring has had a great effect on the community over the years.\n"Especially for students, it's a way for them to learn about what the community has to offer and that can be paralleled in any community they live in later in life," she said. "Week of Caring can spark wonderful educational discussions among friends, and it really brings the community of IU and the city together as one."\nStone said a couple of different opportunities open to members of the community to show their support.\n"The beauty is that it suits the style of volunteering for all different types of people," she said. "People can pick and choose throughout the week."\nSenior Dusty Podgorski said he plans on attending at least one of the 11 remembrance ceremonies to reflect on Sept. 11.\n"We're often told that those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it," he said. "But it's not just the dates and places of tragic events such as Sept. 11 that we need to remember. It's the names and faces of those who have suffered that are most important. I feel I can show my support by attending some of the ceremonies." \nSavich said that is one of the many goals of Week of Caring.\n"The idea is to remember those lost on Sept. 11," she said. "We want people to respond in a positive way."\nSavich said a remembrance garden will be planted at 7:45 a.m. on Sept. 11 at Seminary Square Park on the corner of 2nd Street and College Avenue. She said attendees are encouraged to arrive around 7:30 a.m. The ceremony will include a 21-gun salute along with bagpipes and the playing of "Taps." Throughout the day, 3,015 daffodils will be planted to remember each of the lives lost on the Sept. 11.
Sept. 11 Remembrance Events\nWeek of Caring, Sept. 6 to Sept. 14\nREMEMBRANCE GARDEN DEDICATION & \nCOMMUNITY MEMORIAL CEREMONY\nDay: Wednesday, Sept. 11\nTime: 7:45 a.m.\nLocation: Seminary Square Park (Corner of West Second & Walnut Streets)\nDescription: Dedication of the Memorial Garden plaque.\nContact: Bet Savich, 349-3472 or \nsavichb@city.bloomington.in.us \nORDINARY HEROES DAY AT COLLEGE MALL\nDay: Wednesday, Sept. 11\nTime: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.\nLocation: College Mall\nDescription: This event is meant to honor those organizations and individuals from Monroe County that make a positive difference in our community every day. The event will feature many emergency, community, military and school organizations. Contact: Dena Marietta, College Mall, 339-9370 or dmariett@simon.com \nIU REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY\nDay: Wednesday, Sept. 11\nTime: 4 p.m. (approximately 45 minutes)\nLocation: Showalter Fountain in front of the IU Auditorium. Rain location: IU Auditorium.\nDescription: Sept. 11 memorial ceremony at IU campus. Over $100,000 in scholarships will be awarded to memorialize the IU victims of the Sept. 11 attacks.\nContact: Kirk White, special assistant for External Relations and director of Hoosiers for Higher Education, 855-0921 \nAMERICAN VETERANS MEMORIAL EVENT\nDay: Wednesday, Sept. 11\nTime: 6 p.m.\nLocation: American Legion, 1800 W. Third St.\nContact: Phil, 334-0500 \nDISCUSSION ON WORLD ISSUES\nDay: Wednesday, Sept. 11\nTime: 7 p.m.\nLocation: Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, 275 N. Jordan Ave.\nContact: Kirk White, 855-0921. \nCOMMUNITY SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE\nDay: Wednesday, Sept. 11\nTime: 7 p.m.\nLocation: First United Methodist Church, corner of Fourth and Washington streets\nDescription: The service will conclude with a candlelight walk to Dunn Meadow to join the campus candlelight vigil at IU Dunn Meadow at 8 p.m.\nSource: City of Bloomington\nOn the Web\n• For more information about Week of Caring events, please visit the Region section of www.idsnews.com.
