In the memory of those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, Georgia Highlands College (GHC) students, faculty and staff placed 2,977 American flags on the courtyard of the college’s Cartersville site.
The event, known as the “9/11: Never Forget Project,” was made possible through the help of around 25 volunteers, including Veterans Affairs Coordinator Amy Wise and the Student Veterans of America Club, Professor of Biology Tom Harnden and volunteers from the Sons of the American Revolution, as well as English Professor Rachel Wall and students from her American Literature class.
“This is the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and some of our students may not have been born or were too young to remember when this tragic event took place,” Wise said. “It is important to remember the families that still miss loved ones – and how this significant event impacted our nation forever.”
Student Jessie Bunce, who is the spouse of a retired U.S. Army veteran and a member of the Student Veterans Club at GHC, assisted in the preparation and placement of the flags.
“I remember the day that it happened and know how deeply this impacted our nation,” Bunce said. “I believe we should always pay tribute to the fallen, and this display is quite impactful when you see all the flags on the field represent each individual that lost their life on this day 20 years ago.”
Also assisting in the project was student Josh Drexler, whose father is a retired Navy SEAL and whose mother served as a Navy Ombudsman.
“By participating in the ‘Never Forget Project,’ it helps to emphasize 9/11’s significance and helps to educate those who might not know as much about that fateful day,” Drexler said. “Although I only had the role of planting American flags around the Cartersville campus’s central flagpole, it is still a contribution that helps us to never forget.”
GHC’s chapter of Student Veterans of America have been working to continue the “9/11: Never Forget Project” as an annual event, but some years the weather has prevented leaving the flags outside.
The flags were placed on Tuesday, Sept. 7, and will remain displayed until Sept. 13.
