The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Issue date: 9/12/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Brandon Iwamoto Senior communications major Chelsey Penoyer, head of CSU College Republicans, helps unroll a 20-foot banner with 3,000 red stars, one for each victim of the September 11, 2001 attacks, to commemorate the anniversary on Thursday in the Plaza.

Seven years ago, a dentist appointment saved Anastasia Stull's father's life. On September 11, 2001, Stull's father was working at the Pentagon in Washington D.C, but left work to take his daughter to that appointment. While he was gone, one of the planes hijacked that day crashed into the building, killing many of his coworkers.

"We went to 143 funerals in two weeks," said Stull, a senior psychology major.

And today, seven years later, Stull helped other CSU students remember the 9/11 attacks by setting up a memorial in the plaza.

"It is nice to see that D.C. is not the only place that is remembering [9/11]," Stull said.

At 9:11 a.m. yesterday, members of the CSU College Republicans invited students walking to class to join in a moment of silence for those who died in the attacks. The group presented a banner displaying 3,000 red stars, one for each person who died or is still missing.

"It was an important and dramatic day in our history," said Diggs Brown, Fort Collins City Council member and combat vetran from Afghanistan. "It needs to stay a collective memory."

The CSU College Republicans decided to display the banner because they felt there was a social need for more awareness.

"We didn't see anyone else doing it, so we stepped up," College Republicans President Chelsey Penoyer said.

CSU's Chabad Jewish Student Alliance also urged students to honor the deceased by doing a good deed.

The group sponsored a "goodness and kindness" campaign and asked people to shed light on dark sitations through good deeds. At the table set up in the plaza, students could light a commemorative candle to honor the deceasad or donate to Cans Around the Oval.

"A little bit of light dispells a lot of darkness," said Rabbi Gorelik of the Northern Colorado Chabad Society. "We try to use any negative event to turn it around and create a little bit of good."

The organization stressed that the campaign is not only for the Jewish community, but for everyone.

"A lot of people were affected on 9/11, people from every religion," said Max Brodski, president of CSU's Chabad Jewish Student Alliance. "It is best for us as people to bring light on days of darkness."

Staff writer Kelli Pryor can be reached at news@collegian.com.

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