Since Congress designated Sept. 11 as a National Day of Service in 2009, millions across the country have helped heal a national scar into a day of remembrance and unity. 

High Country Volunteers is assisting in this year’s National Day of Service and is seeking volunteers to assemble Project Sunshine activity kits for pediatric patients at regional hospitals.

“We are hosting the September 11 day of service because we really want to bring volunteers together on a single day and give them a chance to serve together and make a difference in our community,” High Country Volunteers Executive Director Mary Moon said. 

“We are going to put together Project Sunshine activity kits, which are basically little craft bags that we assemble,” she continued. “Then we will mail them off to pediatric patients throughout regional hospitals. Hopefully they will brighten the patients’ days while they’re getting treatment in the hospital.”

The day will be divided into two hour-long shifts at Colorado Mountain College in Glenwood Springs. 

“The packets are created by Project Sunshine, which is a national nonprofit,” Moon said. “The ones that we will be working on during the event will have a craft activity, a journal, some stickers, and some other fun stuff.”

Registration for the event is open on the High Country Volunteers website. The nonprofit expects to need over 100 volunteers to reach its goal. 

“We are super excited,” Mary said. “We want to get enough volunteers there to make a real difference. We are trying to put together 911 bags to send out.”

This is the second time High Country Volunteers has participated in the National Day of Service. The Sept. 11 day of remembrance is led by AmeriCorps and 911day.org, a national nonprofit that began the annual day of observation over a decade ago and works with hundreds of organizations nationwide every year. 

“September 11th is a day of history that naturally causes us to stop and reflect,” Moon said in a release announcing the open registration. “It can also be a day that provides an opportunity to join our neighbors in acts of service to rekindle the spirit of unity and service that swept our nation after that tragic day. As we mark this 25th anniversary, it’s important to remember that we are stronger as a community when we unite in kindness and do good.”

For more information about the Day of Service or to view a volunteer opportunity database of over 100 local community organizations, visit highcountryvolunteers.org.