Missouri Community Service Commission to commemorate September 11th with statewide drive, Capitol ceremony

JEFFERSON CITY -- The Missouri Community Service Commission (MCSC), along with the September 11th Day of Service Committee, is coordinating a Capitol ceremony and statewide food drive to encourage service and remember the heroism and sacrifice of emergency response personnel during the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The Missouri Community Service Commission is a division of the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED).

"The attacks on September 11 are something we can never forget. As a committee, we want to make sure that the impact on our nation is properly recognized, and that our fallen comrades are given the honor they deserve" said committee member Melissa Wilding, of the Missouri Veterans Commission.

A ceremony honoring emergency response personnel will be held on Friday, September 10 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. on the South Capitol lawn in Jefferson City. The inspirational ceremony, which is open to the public, will include a moment of silent reflection and an opportunity to thank local service personnel.

In conjunction with the ceremony on September 10, the MCSC and Day of Service Committee are also coordinating an inaugural statewide online food drive to encourage citizens across Missouri to give back to their local communities. The food drive is currently underway, and will run until Sept. 11. Citizens can visit the Missouri Food Bank Association's website, www.feedingmissouri.org, for more information and to contribute in honor of service and emergency response personnel in their areas.

"The Committee wanted to not only give pause to commemorate the tragedy of 9-11, but also recognize how people from every walk of life came together in the days after the attacks to help each other," MCSC Executive Director Linda Thompson said. "We really wanted to focus on that spirit, and a food drive is an excellent way to involve citizens across the state in serving their own communities."

About the MCSC

The MCSC was created by the Missouri Legislature in 1994 in response to the National and Community Service Trust Act passed by Congress in 1993. Commission members are appointed by the governor and supported by a staff of five. The MCSC is under the umbrella of community improvement tools available through the Division of Business and Community Services within DED. The MCSC receives federal funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), making federal funds more responsive to local needs.

Contact: John Fougere
573) 522-5058