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Nine years after the September 11 attacks, New York City is remembering and healing, in an ongoing process of looking forward while honoring the past. This year, there are a variety of ways to commemorate the day and pay tribute to those who died. The 9/11 Memorial Preview Site will certainly be a point of pilgrimage where family members of 9/11 victims can pay their respects. Others can acknowledge the anniversary by volunteering, supporting local businesses or attending a memorial concert. The activities and weekend events offer the opportunity for locals and visitors to come together as a community.

Volunteer
9/11 National Day of Service
When the 9/11 National Day of Service launched last year, more than 5 million people—across all 50 states and 165 countries—volunteered in honor of those who lost their lives and those who lost loved ones on 9/11. The organizers of the initiative expect an even greater turnout for the second-annual service day, to be held again on September 11. New York Cares, a leading volunteer organization in the City, has arranged special projects like the beautification of a Lower East Side school and a gathering to make care packages for and write cards to soldiers overseas; to find out about other volunteer opportunities, visit 911dayofservice.org.

Donate
Fashion's Night Out
Fashionistas can jump-start their day of service on September 10 with Fashion's Night Out. NYC's second-annual soiree of shopping provides a boost to the City's economy, helping local businesses and charities alike. When you buy a Fashion's Night Out T-shirt, tank or hoodie, a portion of the proceeds benefits The New York City AIDS Fund in The New York Community Trust. In addition, many stores have organized their own charitable endeavors for the night. As part of its debut that evening of The Kouklitas, a high-end rag doll collection created by Brooklyn-based artist Andrew Yang, Barneys New York will be showcasing a one-of-a-kind set of handcrafted Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington dolls; each is being auctioned off on charitybuzz.com, also to raise money for The New York City AIDS Fund. Elsewhere, the first 99 people who donate a pair of pre-loved shoes to the Soles4Souls event at the Nine West location at 675 Fifth Avenue will receive a gift card to the store. Visit fashionsnightout.com powered by QVC for the complete list of events and charitable opportunities.

Remember
9/11 Memorial Preview Site
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum remains under construction, but its preview site, opened last year, has already hosted 1 million visitors. You can go to the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site to learn about the memorial's progress and contribute to its archive by sharing your own experience of September 11. The personal stories shared by visitors will become part of the museum's permanent collection. The preview site is open daily and entrance is free, but on September 10 and 11, access is limited to the families of 9/11 victims.

Staten Island September 11 Memorial
The impact of the attacks affected families throughout the five boroughs; Staten Island residents lost nearly 270 community members that day. To honor them, the borough's government commissioned the Staten Island September 11 Memorial, which was dedicated by Borough President James Molinaro and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on September 11, 2004. Architect Masayuki Sono designed the memorial and its minimal white sculpture, which evokes a pair of wings. Located along the North Shore Waterfront Esplanade, the site features plaques listing the names and other details of Staten Island's loved ones lost.

The September Concert
The September Concert is actually a series of concerts held all over the world that commend peace and the altruistic spirit of humanity. The group that organizes the celebration has facilitated hundreds of free music events on September 11 since 2002. This year, concerts will be held September 10–12 and include a lunchtime performance of four choral groups at the Columbus Circle entrance to Central Park. Visit septemberconcert.org to find concert listings across the boroughs and beyond, ranging in genre from jazz and classical to pop and rock, or to get involved and organize your own free show.