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Bruce Museum In Greenwich Pays Tribute To Sept. 11 With Day Of Service

GREENWICH, Conn. -- As part of making Sept. 11 a national day of service and remembrance, the Bruce Museum in Greenwich is hosting its first Community Activation Family Day on Sunday, Sept. 11, from 1 to 4 p.m.

Volunteers for the Open Door Shelter at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich

Volunteers for the Open Door Shelter at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich

Photo Credit: contributed
The Bruce Museum in Greenwich is hosting a Community Activation Family Day on Sept.11.

The Bruce Museum in Greenwich is hosting a Community Activation Family Day on Sept.11.

Photo Credit: contributed
Volunteer firefighters

Volunteer firefighters

Photo Credit: contributed
Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels

Photo Credit: contributed
Bruce Museum's Seaside Center volunteers

Bruce Museum's Seaside Center volunteers

Photo Credit: contributed

As part of the program, the museum will bring together nonprofit organizations from the Fairfield County area and connect them with families interested in giving back. Visitors can learn how to get involved with a dozen different organizations and also participate in a community art project.

Representatives from Abilis, Audubon Greenwich, Connecticut Greyhound Adoption, Connecticut Humane Society, Greenwich Fire Department, Greenwich Green and Clean, Meals on Wheels Greenwich, Neighbor to Neighbor, The Open Door Shelter, The Sharing Shelf, Seaside Center and YWCA Greenwich will be on hand to talk about their organizations and discuss volunteer opportunities.

Admission is free for anyone who brings donations of nonperishables and school supplies for the pantry and backpack drive hosted during the event. No reservations are required and the event is open to the public. 

"9/11 has been designated a national day of service. The idea is to use this day -- which brought so much pain to our country -- as a focus for good; specifically through community volunteering," said Corinne Flax, manager of school and community partnerships at the Bruce Museum.

While some organizations focus on offering a day of service (only) on 9/11, "I wanted to do something that offered visitors the opportunity to volunteer and give back throughout the year," Flax said.

"The Bruce Museum is holding this event because we have a commitment to our community and want to put a spotlight on all the ways families can get involved in volunteering," she said. "Our Family Days are popular events and we think this will give many local organizations a way to showcase the work they are doing."

What makes the event unique is the number of organizations involved, the opportunity to participate in activities such as a pantry and backpack drive, the different activities that are available for families and the location at the Bruce Museum. 

"Museums are community resources and this event gives the Bruce Museum an opportunity to highlight that," she said.

Visitors who attend will get to know more about the different local organizations that play a role in supporting the community -- whether they are food pantries, animal rescues, the local volunteer firefighters or environmentally focused organizations.

Those who attend will get to see visiting greyhounds Bella and Nigel from Connecticut Greyhound Adoption, a fire truck from the Greenwich Volunteer Firefighters, art activities from Kids in Crisis and more.

In addition, there will be a few family tours throughout the day, lasting about 30 minutes each. During the tours, visitors will see the exhibits such as "Science in Motion," "Electricity" and a permanent exhibition called "Changes in our Land."

 "When we kick off each tour, we will pay tribute to 9/11," Flax said.

Flax said she hopes to make Community Activation Family Day a yearly event. "This is a way of taking a sad day and putting a positive light on it."

For more information, contact Corinne Flax at the Bruce Museum at 203-413-6742, send an email to cflax@brucemuseum.org or click here.

The Bruce Museum is at 1 Museum Drive, Greenwich.

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