CCE will host a Day of Service in memory of 9/11

By Arianna Kemis

Sept.11 is an important day for U.S. communities, and the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) will observe this day as a National Day of Service and Remembrance with six select service projects for students.

Erin McIlraith, marketing and communication coordinator for the CCE, is in charge of getting all the project information out and wants to make people aware that this is happening.

“The idea behind these national days of service is all of us, as U.S. citizens, make our communities better where we live,” McIlraith said.

The center celebrates several national days of service, two in the fall and two in the spring. This week, students are encouraged by the CCE to join projects to help contribute to the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance.

“Each one of the days of service has a unique purpose, but overall, the idea is for us to come together as a nation to make our world a better place,” McIlraith said. “This one, 9/11, is about honoring the heroes of the September 11 attacks, and it’s about honoring those who were lost. It’s about remembering the strength and community of our nation.”

The CCE operates primarily through CougSync, an online system that hosts all its events and service opportunities throughout the year. Students can sign up for events through CougSync by creating an account or walking into the office if they need help.

The CCE’s CougSync homepage has a direct link to all of the projects offered on Sept. 11. There are six primary projects.

The projects include volunteering at a Humane Society, helping local elementary school students with their homework, helping to beautify the city of Pullman, and assisting local senior centers. All provide transportation.

“It’s really just a matter of picking out a project and signing up for one that interests them,” McIlraith said.

Ashley Grilz, community projects coordinator for the CCE, said the service day on Sept. 11 brings home the concept of engaging in community.

“Every day is a day of service for us,” she said. “Anytime you can have specific days you can really put out there and build up for students, you create excitement and hype about it and makes students more aware.”

Grilz said the projects have been filling up quickly.

“If the spaces are filled for the one-time projects, students are welcome to go out with their own transportation, but that is also dependent on the project,” she said.

Student leaders direct most projects through the CCE, and some projects that are offered on Sept. 11 are parts of programs set up weekly. Projects can also help students complete community service hours.

“As a whole, we have a huge variety of projects going out,” Grilz said. “There’s really a piece for everybody.”

Caity Ellesmere-Jones, a peer mentor at the CCE, is looking forward to students getting involved in the service days, but said it’s a matter of students showing up after they sign up.

“As a peer mentor, we are the first stage of student-to-staff interaction here in the office,” Ellesmere-Jones said. “We are the ones who help students find service and answer questions.”

Grilz said getting students involved in service to their communities helps give them the skills they can carry with them, like giving back.

“I think we do a really good job of connecting and talking about how the projects are going,” she said. “Beyond that, we’re really here as professional staff to help our undergraduate staff become leaders.”

The peer mentors are available at the center’s office for questions and helping students navigate CougSync.

The CCE office is open to students Mon – Thu, until 7 p.m.