Forging a Spirit of Service
Sep 11, 2015
September 10, 2015
Tomorrow, in between moments of personal reflection, teams of community members across the country will assemble to pay tribute on a pivotal day in our history – by getting to work. Dozens of Mission Continues Service Platoons will be in action through the weekend, answering a call to serve that – for many – began 14 years ago.
In New York, with lower Manhattan visible in the distance, volunteers will help restore Fort Wadsworth, a military post that predates our nation’s independence. In Seattle, the team will prepare a new outdoor therapy space for residents of a long-term care facility for veterans. On Saturday, in Houston, platoon members and community volunteers will build a new library, computer room and community garden for a charter school. In Jacksonville, the platoon will revitalize a facility for young men and women fleeing poverty and abuse—and who are seeking a fresh start. And there are many more.
It’s not too late to volunteer with a team. A full list of events is available on our website.
Our country changed on September 11, 2001. The events of that day shattered our collective sense of security. But in that void, we forged a renewed sense of service – to each other and to our country. Our veterans and military service members continue to embody that spirit of service. So it’s only fitting that we’re out there – serving again – tomorrow.
But when this weekend’s work is over, we won’t be done. In fact, next week we’ll gather over 150 veterans in Washington DC for our 2nd Annual Service Platoon Leadership Summit. Thanks to the generous support of the Bob Woodruff Foundation, an organization that works to ensure injured veterans and their families thrive at home, these veteran leaders will convene for three days of leadership training, collective-impact training, and team-building. Afterwards, they will return to their communities even more ready to have tangible, visible impact in their neighborhoods, with their neighbors.
We serve because it is a privilege, and because our country’s strength relies upon it. September 11, 2001 did not shatter this spirit of service – it strengthened it.
In Service,
Spencer Kympton
P.S. You can act too. Serve with us as a member of a service platoon, or help others serve with a financial contribution to The Mission Continues.
