9/11/11

I feel blessed that I don’t personally know anyone affected by the 9/11 attacks. This past Sunday was a difficult day for many people. It being a day of service as well as a day of remembrance, I wanted to get out and do something.

I heard about an art project being sponsored by Boston Cares, which would be overseen by Sidewalk Sam and his wife, Tina. I’ve always wondered who Sidewalk Sam was. I have seen his chalk drawings on Boston sidewalks for years. So I showed up at City Hall Plaza on 9/10 to find a 20′ x 30′ canvas on the ground, and volunteers and families of 9/11 victims painting away. Tina was directing people and dishing out paint, and Sam was greeting everyone and being a DOLL. We painted the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund symbol on the canvas: doves coming out of the American flag.

This is the group just starting to paint. By the time I left two hours later, it was almost all done. I wish I had a photo of the completed mural! It was supposed to be hanging up on City Hall for a week, but I didn’t see it there today.

Here’s a video clip from a local TV station…at one point you can see me painting at high speed in the background. I was happy to support 9/11 victims’ families in this small way.