On Tuesday, the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, D.C.-area residents will have opportunities to pay tribute to the victims and give back to the community.
-- One service opportunity will be at the Eastern Avenue Apartments, a low-income housing community in Prince George's County. From 8 a.m. to noon, volunteers will participate in efforts to beautify the apartment campus. People can sign up to volunteer at the apartments Tuesday at 7:30 a.m.
-- Serve DC and HandsOn Greater D.C. Cares will hold a tribute event downtown at Freedom Plaza where people can sign up to volunteer at local nonprofits and take part in emergency preparedness training. There will also be a walk-up service project in which people can put together kits for homeless veterans. The event will take place Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
A good thing that came from the attacks was "the spirit of togetherness that swept across the country," said Clarence Fluker, a spokesman for Serve DC, whose event is aimed at reminding people of that unity.
"Out of the darkness came the light," Fluker said.
-- The Pentagon will hold two events on Tuesday -- one for family of the victims and one for current Pentagon employees -- that will be closed to the public. Most years, the Pentagon has kept its Sept. 11 events small and personal, said Lt. Col. Tom Crosson, a spokesman for the Defense Department.
In the attack on the Pentagon, 184 people lost their lives.
"The event's still near and dear" to a lot of Pentagon workers, Crosson said, adding that many people who were in the building on the day of the terrorist attack still work there.
-- Washington National Cathedral will commemorate the attacks during services Tuesday at 8:45 a.m., noon, 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. There will be special prayers during the services for victims and their families, as well as prayers of healing.
-- At Arlington National Cemetery, there will be a Navy Intelligence 9-11 Ceremony. The event will be held in Section 64 and will start at noon Tuesday.
-- At the Naval Heritage Center, there will be a wreath-laying ceremony at 4 p.m., a photo exhibit and reception at 4:30 p.m. and a book release at 6 p.m. To RSVP, contact Rob McGuire at 202-380-0715 or rmcguire@navymemorial.org.
-- Alexandria will have two ceremonies Tuesday. At 5:30 p.m., there will be a citizenship ceremony. At 6:30 p.m., there will be a remembrance ceremony in Market Square, which will feature remarks from officials, a bell-ringing ceremony and a musical tribute.
-- Fairfax County will have a public ceremony at the County Government Center that, weather permitting, will be followed by a procession to the 9/11 Memorial Grove. The event is scheduled on Tuesday from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
