NHL participates in ‘9/11 Day Meal Pack’ on day of remembrance

NEW YORK -- On the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the NHL is doing its part to make a positive impact in the community.

To commemorate the day of rememberance, 40 League employees in New York City volunteered to pack meals for local food banks with the “9/11 Day” nonprofit organization. Created in 2002, the nonprofit has a goal of transforming the anniversary of the attacks into a day of unity and doing good. Every year, the organization brings in 30,000 volunteers across 21 different cities in the United States, packing 8.6 million meals.

Hundreds of volunteers from various companies participated in the event on Wednesday, held at the Intrepid Air & Space Museum, and in a two-hour span packed 260,000 meals.

Along with companies from different industries, other sports groups joined the NHL at the event, including MLB, the NFL and ESPN.

“We’re in a community of companies that care about this community and on a day like today, there’s extra there,” said David Klatt, the senior director of culture, inclusion and belonging at the NHL.

Klatt helped organize the volunteering opportunity, along with Patrice Distler, the senior vice president of human resources at the League.

“9/11 is a super sad day for me,” Distler said. “I lost people that day, as many New Yorkers did. So, to be able to turn that around and give back and try to make the world a better place with these initiatives, how amazing is that?”

The event kicked off with speeches from “9/11 Day” founders David Paine and Jay Winuk. Winuk lost his younger brother in the 2001 attacks, which was part of his inspiration in starting the nonprofit.

After the speeches and a moment of silence to commemorate those who died in the attacks, the volunteers got right to work. Soon, the airplane hangar on the ship was filled with energy and excitement, with music blasting and volunteers cheering as they filled up more and more boxes.

“[The energy] was palpable,” Distler said. “We were singing, we were dancing, we were doing our best to get as many boxes filled with food. It was just great to have that teamwork and to be together. It was incredible.”

“For two hours you’re in an airplane hangar buzzing your way through this volunteer opportunity,” Klatt said. “That, to me, felt like more than just a team building.”

For Kelly Ajello, a member of the legal team at the NHL, volunteering at the Intrepid was extra special. Ajello’s grandfather served on the USS Intrepid with the Navy while the aircraft carrier was in service.

“When I saw this opportunity come up, I was really excited,” Ajello said. “I grew up in New Jersey, so I know a lot of people who were affected by 9/11, so then when I realized the extra connection that it was at the Intrepid, it was a special day.”

Klatt said he hopes this initiative can grow into even bigger volunteer opportunities for the League and its employees.

“Forty I hope someday can be 400, and every single employee who can fit it into that schedule can be part of that,” Klatt said. “And if it’s not ‘9/11 Day,’ hopefully there are a few more ways throughout the year that we can serve New York City and Toronto and Montreal and remind each other of the bigger picture.”