National Day of Service

A couple of Iowa politicians — one a Democrat and one a Republican — who are serving in top spots in the Obama Administration are among those listed by the White House as participatants in National Day of Service events tomorrow, September 11.

Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack is now U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and, according to the White House Media Affairs Office, this is how Vilsack will spend his midday: "Secretary Tom Vilsack will prepare meals that will go to homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and feeding programs with participants of DC Central Kitchen’s culinary job training program." 

Former Iowa Congressman Jim Leach is now chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities and, according to the White House Media Affairs Office, this is how Leach will spend part of his afternoon:  "Chairman Jim Leach will attend the Illinois Humanities Council’s “Meaning of Service” program sponsored by City Year Chicago that engages volunteers in discussing short stories, poems, and essays that reflect on the nature of justice, service, and related themes."

From the White House: The September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance is the culmination of a seven-year effort started by 9/11 family members and support groups to establish the service day as a way to honor the victims and heroes of 9/11 and to rekindle the spirit of unity and compassion that followed the attacks. September 11 was officially recognized as a National Day of Service and Remembrance by the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, passed with strong bipartisan support and signed into law by President Obama in April.

And from the desk of O. Kay Henderson:  Leach and Vilsack both have ties to Kennedy through their stints at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. Leach served as the interim director of the Institute for Politics for the 2007/2008 academic year and Vilsack was a "resident fellow" at the school.