View from Casa Grande Mountain | Sign-Cutter/Wikimedia Commons
View from Casa Grande Mountain | Sign-Cutter/Wikimedia Commons
A major cleanup and painting project is planned for Casa Grande Mountain in remembrance of the 9/11 attacks via the National Day of Service.
The event will occur on Sep. 10 from 7 a.m to 11 a.m., according to Casa Grande Dispatch. It will include repainting the Casa Grande Mountain logo, which is visible for several miles, and the cleanup of several trails on the mountain.
"This is our 20th anniversary of the 9/11 national service day project in recognition of that terrible thing that happened on 9/11 with 3,000 innocent lives lost," project organizer Scott McEuen said.
Painting the logo could present logistical challenges.
"It's going to be difficult to get up there, as there is no trail leading up to the logo,” McEuen said. "We'll be carrying some 100 gallons of paint; there's a lot of logistics involved, but we'll get it done."
McEuen said the idea to clean up Casa Grande Mountain came from Mayor Craig McFarland after McEuen asked what would be an appropriate 9/11 service project.
"I called the mayor, Craig McFarland, and said, 'Mayor, here's the deal,' and he and I talked," McEuen said. "Finally, he said, 'You know what? I have the ideal project. It is CG Mountain – the trail system, painting the CG logo, and cleaning up out there.' So, the seed was planted."
This service project is unprecedented in both scope and manpower, McEuen said.
"There has been a lot of momentum," he said. "We are expecting possibly 600 volunteers, which could be the largest service project in the history of the city of Casa Grande."
The project carries personal meaning for some residents. During the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York, 42-year-old Casa Grande native Karol Keasler lost her life in one of the World Trade Center towers.
"Our community has a vested interest, as we lost one of our own citizens on that tragic day," McEuen said. "Karol Keasler graduated from Casa Grande High School and she was head cheerleader and she was homecoming queen. Karol was working in tower two of the World Trade Center when it happened, and she lost her life."
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