Each year, Sept. 11 is recognized as a National Day of Service. This was written into federal law in 2009, and has been exercised locally for years.
The Parkway Center is sponsoring the local Day of Service at the Central New York Veteran’s Outreach Center in Utica. For the past few weeks, the local community donated food products through Fill the Bus events at four local stores.
Today, volunteers are unpacking those items and lining the pantry shelves at the Veteran’s Outreach Center.
"It's actually a day that was started by family members of victims of 9/11 who wanted to reclaim the day and kind of capture the unity that they saw after the attacks," said Sara Spezzano, communications director for the Parkway Center.
Volunteers are helping sort food, planting gardens and assisting with other projects at the center.