Sept. 11, 2001, may have happened nine years ago, but Father Linus DeSantis knows it is still an emotional day — both nationwide and for Syracuse University students.

‘There’s so much in it — there’s life, there’s death, there’s peace, there’s forgiveness, there’s justice,’ said DeSantis, the Catholic chaplain at Hendricks Chapel. ‘If you look at all those words, there’s quite a bit to sort out.’

To commemorate the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Hendricks Chapel opened its doors for students wishing to visit for prayer or quiet reflection. Meanwhile, a city nonprofit hosted a weekend of volunteerism to promote kindness and understanding.

Hendricks was open from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. A single candle was lit at the front of the chapel, and various members of the chapel staff, including DeSantis, the Rev. Gail Riina, the Rev. Michael McQuitty, the Rev. Rick Hill and Dean Tiffany Steinwert, were available throughout the day.

Gabriela Montilla, a fifth-year architect major, was one of the students who went to Hendricks to commemorate those who died that day. She did not originally plan to go to Hendricks, but the open doors made her feel welcome and persuaded her to come in.

Though she is from Puerto Rico, Montilla said it is still important for her to remember those who lost their lives.

The weekend came to a close Sunday on the steps of Hendricks Chapel, with food and live performances designed to thank the hundreds of volunteers and community members who were involved in commemorating Sept. 11 in Syracuse.

‘The weekend has been spectacular. This is a wonderful example of what is possible in the world when people come together,’ said Thomas Wolfe, the senior vice president and dean of student affairs. ‘We know the news, we know the stress of this weekend, but we look at the positive image and positive impact that is coming from Syracuse today.’

While Hendricks hosted days of reflection, on Saturday and Sunday, a local nonprofit sponsored the first A-OK! Acts of Kindness Weekend, which included six hubs around the city that hosted dozens of events and community service projects.

The weekend was planned by Women Transcending Boundaries, a Syracuse group founded by three women after Sept. 11 with a vision of breaking down barriers and promoting diverse religious and cultural beliefs. The group meets monthly to share unique spiritual and cultural experiences often lost on the public.

‘I was concerned about Muslim women being harassed in our community,’ said Betsy Wiggins, cofounder of Women Transcending Barriers. ‘I was specifically worried about women who were afraid to go shopping, to send their children to school or just to be in public.’

She contacted a local mosque, where she met future Women Transcending Barriers cofounder Danya Wellmon.

Similar events were held nationwide in Detroit; Orange County, Calif.; New Holland, Ill.; and Las Vegas. Sept. 11 and 12 was declared ‘Acts of Kindness Weekend’ this year by Congressman Dan Maffei, County Executive of Onondaga Joanie Mahoney and Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner. President Barack Obama also declared Sept. 11 a national day of service.

With overwhelming support, it won’t be the last A-OK! weekend, Wiggins said.

‘We want to build a sustainable model that is easily replicable to anyone who wants to pick it up in the U.S,’ Wiggins said.

Josh Cook, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Kate Fuller, a junior at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, volunteered their time at several hubs for the A-OK! weekend. They worked primarily at the Onondaga Creek cleanup. Both worked to found an interfaith group at SU last year to bring together different cultures on campus.

‘The main thing we planned to do for the weekend was the Onondaga Creek cleanup,’ Fuller said. ‘It’s a sacred site, so we wanted to honor it with our interfaith group.’

—Asst. News Editor Dara McBride contributed reporting to this article.

 

Published on September 12, 2010 at 12:00 pm