ISU's Institute of Rural Health and AmeriCorps to host several 9/11 events

POCATELLO — In honor and remembrance of those who braved adversity or lost their lives during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 and in an effort to educate the public regarding disaster preparedness, Idaho State University’s Institute of Rural Health and AmeriCorps will host several 9/11 events aiming to strengthen community ties and promote service in the Gate City area.

The events kick off Saturday night at the Pond Student Union Ballroom from noon until 3 p.m. with a disaster preparedness fair where members of the community will learn about disaster preparedness, mitigation and recovery from local organizations. The first 300 in attendance will receive a 72-hour kit and instructions on how to craft their own robust emergency preparedness kit.

The official 9/11 kick off event will feature speeches from Mayor Brian Blad and ISU Day of Service Program grant project coordinator Kayla Fielder from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday Sept. 9 to inform the public about what other activities will be going on during the week, allow participants to sign up for events and participate in community service projects.

“We will have a short speech from myself and from Mayor Blad, then we will open it up to the community to go and peruse all the different booths that we’ll have,” Fielder said. “Each table will represent either an event that we’re hosting that week or a service activity. We’ll have small community service projects throughout as well as other organization events throughout the community, throughout Bannock County, surrounding 9/11.”

Volunteers and community members will be putting together senior care kits in decorative bags that include a homemade card, puzzle or coloring book, 988 crisis hotline card, colored pencils or a pen, fidget blanket and a bookmark from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and again at 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 10 at the ISU Ballroom for a senior companion club event.

Volunteers will be helping senior community members navigate the event safely while creating a fun and inviting environment for the elderly attendees. Later that afternoon a “timeless twirl” dance will be held.

“We would love to encourage everybody to get involved in their community through volunteerism and community service,” Fielder said. “It’s a lot easier than you think, getting involved by looking at JustServe, or contacting our office at serviceday@isu.edu . It’s really easy to get into community service without having to give up a huge chunk of your life and we have really easy, small tips and tricks to do that.”

Two primary events will be featured in remembrance of the 23rd anniversary of 9/11 this year, beginning with the patriot day community commemoration that will start with a flag raising ceremony at 5:30 p.m. held on the front steps of the Bannock County Courthouse, 624 E. Center St.

Following the flag raising, 6th District Judge Rick Carnaroli will read “The Events as They Unfolded,” a chronological recanting of what happened on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.

“It’s important that those of us who were around back then share our memories with the younger generation,” Carnaroli said. “Today’s high school students weren’t even alive in 2001, so I hope that we see more students attend this event and learn about this historic day through the eyes of those of us who remember.”

Local veteran services organizations will host a community dinner at the Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building, 300 N. Johnson, immediately following the program.

Later that evening, a memorial stair climb will be held from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the ICCU Dome and attendees are invited to climb 110 flights of stairs with local first responders to honor those who lost their lives on 9/11. Every climber will be given a memorial card that represents someone who passed away on that infamous day. First responders on site are invited to complete the climb in full gear.

A harvest heroes’ event will be held the following day on Sept. 12, with attendees learning from local farmers, greenhouses and community members regarding growing, storing and preparing their own food. The location and time will be announced at a later date.

A final event, the hero fun run, invites community members to start their 5K journey under the hypostyle on the ISU quad where they will run, walk, hop or scooter through to the nearby cemetery where the headstones of local heroes and first responders will be recognized. Pathways will also be outlined with posters detailing facts about 9/11.

“The Institute of Rural Health believes that we are going to be a stronger community if we’re used to working together, meeting your neighbors, learning their skills and knowing what (people) can do to support each other, not just in disasters, although that is also important, but creating really tight knit bonds, so that when we’re struggling mentally or physically, financially, anything like that, you have a whole community behind you just lifting you up,” Fielder said. “We can lift the whole community and bring everybody to a safe, loving place, if we just work together. That’s kind of what our office focuses on throughout most of its projects, is volunteer and community service.”