Corporations to volunteer in 9/11 service events

To commemorate  victims of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, several businesses in Westchester County plan to volunteer next month in nine days of service programs.

The volunteer events, sponsored by Westchester County and The Volunteer Center of United Way, will get employees and their families involved in service events from Sept. 3 to 11.

“In Westchester and throughout the nation, people of all ages are participating in service activities to honor the memory of the victims and the heroes of September 11,” said County Executive Robert P. Astorino in a written statement. “Locally, we appreciate the help of many of our businesses who support community-wide volunteer events.”

9/11: Serve & Remember includes more than 25 service events and activities organized by nonprofit organizations and corporations. The partners contributing include Westchester County, United Way of Westchester and Putnam, IBM, New York Life, PepsiCo, Con Edison, Bunge, Journal News Media Group, Mack-Cali, Robison Oil Company, Scent 2 Market, M&T Bank, Regeneron, The Rollins Agency, The Dannon Company, Chubb, Erie Insurance Company, O’Connor Davies LLP, Reader’s Digest and RPW Group.

Detailed events information is available from The Volunteer Center at volunteer-center.org/service2013. Early registration is encouraged.

Con Edison plans to volunteer at the YWCA of White Plains & Central Weschester by setting up a children’s library and renovating an outdoor toy shed. Another task force from Con Edison will maintain 33-acres of nature at the Greenburgh Nature Center.

In Yonkers, Regeneron employees will help adults with developmental disabilities at Richmond Community Services create an American flag.

Other service projects include removing vines from trees at the Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park in Yorktown Heights, giving blood at the Westchester County Center, helping donate food at the Kensico Dam Plaza, reaching out to veterans, serving at a soup kitchen, painting and restoring the community, and sorting and packaging clothing for donation.

The activities will culminate at the Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla on Sept. 11 at Westchester’s 9/11 memorial, “The Rising.” There, visitors can donate sports equipment for U.S. troops abroad. Families can also create sight words and math flashcards to donate to local schools and after-school programs. Donations will take place from noon to 6:45 p.m., and the memorial ceremony will be at 7 p.m.

Participating nonprofits include Afya Foundation in Yonkers, Arc of Westchester in Mt. Kisco, Clay Art Center in Port Chester, Common Ground in Montrose, Dominican College in Blauvelt, Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities in Dobbs Ferry, Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park in Yorktown Heights, Greenburgh Nature Center in Scarsdale, HOPE Community Services in New Rochelle, Hudson Valley Blood Services, Job Readiness Project, Let’s Play It Forward Inc., Meals-on-Wheels of White Plains, Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, New Rochelle Public Library, Pass It On Kids’ Kloset, Westchester Jewish Community Services in White Plains, Pace University in Pleasantville, Putnam Community Action Program, WestCOP Inc. in Brewster, Richmond Community Services in Yonkers, Rye Nature Center, Family Services of Westchester’s The Sharing Shelf in Port Chester, SUNY New Paltz, Support Connection Inc. in Yorktown Heights, YWCA of White Plains and Central Westchester, White Plains YMCA, and Yorktown Grange #862.