In memory of the nearly 3,000 people who were killed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, President George W. Bush asked that each year in the United States we observe Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance. Vader Mayor, Ken Smith, has made sure the citizens in his community have an opportunity to do just that. For six of the past 7 years, the City of Vader has engaged in the National Day of Service held on the Saturday closest to September 11.
Several local churches, schools and community organizations have recruited volunteers from all over the area who participated and provided much needed service to the city facilities and private residences. Over the years the volunteers have removed piles of junk and old building materials from fallen down structures, painted fire hydrants and street signs, removed mountains of blackberry bushes and other weeds and brush on city park properties, built fences and repaired roofing for local widows, scraped and painted picnic tables at city parks and cleared weeds from hundreds of feet of drainage ditches roadsides and street corners.
This year the group, 38 volunteers strong, painted the Old City Jail located at Werden Park on A Street in Vader, painted flower boxes and picnic tables at Werden Park and Mc Murphy Park, and assisted a local veteran resident with clearing his overgrown property of weeds and brush.