NHL employees assist food banks to mark 25th anniversary of Sept. 11

The NHL did its part to make a positive impact in the community to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

More than 50 NHL employees were among the 50,000 people across the United States representing more than 800 organizations who were expected to pack 17 million meals for local food banks this week.

The event in New York took place at the Intrepid Museum. The NHL, along with other sports leagues like the MLB, NBA, NFL, MLS and Professional Women’s Hockey League, as well as global companies like Delta Air Lines, Citi and JPMorgan Chase, helped pack more than 250,000 meals.

The idea to commemorate the anniversary by making Sept. 11 a day of unity and doing good deeds was that of David Paine and Jay Winuk, who founded the organization 9/11 Day in 2002. Jay's brother Glenn was a lawyer and volunteer firefighter who lost his life helping others that day in 2001.

"Jay and I just looked at each other, and we said, 'How do we bring some light to this? How do we make sure something good comes from that horrific tragedy?'” Paine said. “To recreate each year the way in which our nation responded to the 9/11 attacks by transforming the anniversary into a day of unity, a day of doing good when we focus more on what we have in common, not so much on what we may think are our differences."

Fast forward to 2009, when Sept. 11 was officially recognized as a national day of service and remembrance, which helped the nonprofit's mission. Then, in 2016, the first meal packing event took place.

"We decided for the 15-year anniversary, in 2016 that we stage a project, our own big project for the very first time," Paine said. "And we staged a meal pack in New York City. It was incredibly successful. And I think Jay and I looked at each other and we said, 'Hey, we might be onto something here.'

The next year, in 2017, the event took place at the Intrepid, and the following year, it expanded to cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco and Phoenix. Today, the event is held in more than 50 cities around the United States.

"I think it's exciting to see that we've been able to take something so horrific, the chance to be able to turn that around," Paine said. "Turn that into something positive and to get Americans to want to get out and just make a gigantic difference on 9/11 I think is really inspiring."

For its part, the NHL has been committed to involvement in such events and programs. And the League's participation wasn't limited to just New York. Employees in Toronto and Montreal also had volunteer opportunities.

"We think of hockey as the ultimate team sport," said David Klatt, NHL senior director of culture, inclusion and belonging. "Each year, the team of NHL employees who volunteer together at this event, and in support of the NHL's hunger relief efforts in Canada as well, highlight how much it means to us as NHL employees to give back. We know can do more when we do it together."

It was also a bonding experience for NHL employees, who may have not known each other before volunteering, as many of them walked to the Intrepid together from the New York office before cooperating with each other to pack the meals.

"I heard so many NHL employees sharing stories on the walk over, talking about what this volunteer opportunity means to them," Klatt said. "It feels good to be able to make a positive impact in our community with colleagues the same week we pause to remember the 9/11 terror attacks."

NHL director of recruiting Sally Sy Caruso is one such employee who was happy to take part.

“I am proud to be part of an organization that provides us with the opportunity to participate in one of the most meaningful legacies of 9/11 through service and reflection,” she said. “Working alongside my colleagues to pack meals for families in need was a reminder of the compassion, collaboration and resilience that NYC has -- and as a native New Yorker, I will never forget.”

Those looking to get involved can also visit 911day.org, where they can pledge a good deed. The goal was to reach 1 million good deeds.

"I played hockey,” Paine said. “I was a goalie and all I wanted to do was to be a pro hockey player, and I ended up going to Union College and ultimately after that, it was pretty clear I didn't have what it took to get to the NHL or the AHL. So I know what it is to have a dream and then not have it come to reality. And this is different. We set out to do something, and we did it. The most amazing thing is that it's going to grow. 9/11 Day is going to be here long past our lifetimes. And that's a pretty unbelievable thing."

While Sept. 11 will always be associated with an unimaginable tragedy, Paine and Winuk have done and continue to do their part in making sure that the day is also known for giving back and pledging good deeds.

"I think it, it will serve the role of reminding people that we're not nearly as divided as we think we are," Paine said. "That deep down, we're deeply united by this extraordinary goodness that we're born with and that we need to just learn how to live our lives a little more guided by that goodness every day and not just when a terrible tragedy, you know, reorders our priorities for a moment."