YAF Hosts Annual 9/11 Never Forget Project

Liberty University’s Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) club hosted its annual 9/11 Never Forget Project from 4:30-6:00 p.m. Sept. 11 on the Academic Lawn in front of Liberty University’s Center for Natural Sciences.

Liberty’s YAF chapter has covered the lawn with close to 3,000 miniature American Flags each year, since 2003, in remembrance of the lives lost when planes struck the Twin Towers during Sept. 11, 2001. Over 75 students participated in the event this year, according to YAF President Isaiah Varella.

Prior to 4:30 p.m., the members of YAF placed large tubs of American flags around the lawn and spread out a long line that the flags would be placed along, each six inches apart so that every flag would be able to be planted into the ground.

Once the event officially started students began to trickle in to help place the flags into the ground. Some students walked over to the tubs of flags while others were invited by the YAF members to participate. While joining together to remember the fallen from 9/11, students bonded while sharing memories about the family members and friends they lost on that day as well as the stories they have heard from older generations.

Varella said he feels the importance of 9/11 has seemingly been treated as just another day by the generations that were not alive during the attacks.

“I think our generation and the generations … who weren’t alive have sadly just turned it (9/11) into another day where they can post a little graphic on their Instagram, … but then they move on throughout their day,” Varella said.

Varella himself was not alive when the planes struck the Twin Towers, but he dedicates time each year to reflect on the lives lost and to pray for those who were directly impacted. Varella said he has watched numerous interviews of individuals affected by 9/11 and listened to the stories of his teachers and parents in order to continually remember the significance of the tragic event.

“I remember that every one of these flags signifies a life that was lost,” Varella said. “And it’s not just an easy thing that we can place on a flag because that’s an American life that was lost.”

YAF is a chapter under the national association, Young America’s Foundation.

Sturek is the on-campus news editor for the Liberty Champion.