AFH University LSU teams came together to give service in honor of veterans, soldiers, first responders, and military families in recognition of the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance. Student athletes wrote inspirational notes and cards to deployed service members as part of a United for the Troops initiative. According to Ashlyn Kirby, LSU Gymnastics, “This opportunity gives us a chance to put our respects in writing and show our service men and women that we are forever grateful for their bravery on the tragic event that occurred 17 years ago as well as in the present. We thank them for our freedom, their fight, and their dedication to the United States.”
“9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance, to me, means taking a day’s worth of time to honor the lifetime the brave men and women gave up that day. We wanted to write cards to current servicemen & women to let them know we appreciate and value the sacrifices they make today and every day.”- Emma Goldman, LSU Soccer
“LSU swim dive wrote these letters because the 9/11 day of service means commemorating the victims, heroes, and efforts of all the citizens who rose up to help those in need. We wrote these letters to show that we will never forget those who passed away. This is our tribute to them.” -Kit Hanley, LSU Swim and Dive
“We (the LSU track/xc team) wrote letters to deployed troops to honor their service and commitment to our country. We wanted to thank them from the bottom of our hearts for their strength and sacrifice, and let them know they are supported, loved, and in our prayers.”- Kristin Delgado, LSU Track and Field
“9/11 is a day of remembrance. For me it’s a day to stop and think about all the lives that were impacted that day. The lives that were lost, those who lost their loved ones, and all of the first responders, military personnel & their response to the awful attacks that happened on this day. My team chose to write thank you cards to U.S. Service members today to show our appreciation towards them in their efforts to protect our country. We are extremely grateful for the work that they do, sacrificing their lives to allow us to live in a free, safe, & wonderful country.” – Courtney Henderson, LSU Soccer
Josh Growden, LSU Football participated in the LA AARP and the AARP Foundation’s 9/11 Day of Service to prepare senior citizens for hurricane season. “I helped assemble boxes packaged with emergency preparedness supplies. Today marks a day of a devastating event, so to be doing something positive and seeing so many people willing to help others was awesome to see.”
