A 9-11 college and community event called "9-11-2001 A Community Remembers" could be a textbook case history for how to build and execute a meaningful, memorable gathering of forces to honor both memory and community. Will Carswell, who had the idea and chaired the planning, demonstrated a leadership that we need much more of throughout this country of ours.
The focus of this 9-11 remembrance was how the performing arts can translate, transmit and transform emotions. The mix of artistry was, by itself, awesome from targeted choral selections, to modern chance choreography,, to poetry, to readings, to a Brass Quartet, to piano and horn to a short story ending in a solemn Tolling of the Bells.
In addition, this was a combined Coker College and community event with the Hartsville Middle School Magnet Chorus under the direction of Kim Roberts and the Hartsville Chamber Ensemble under the direction of Anna White Hill.
Short comments from Dr. Carswell, Dr. Robert Wyatt, Coker's president, Mel Pennington, mayor of Hartsville and the Reverend Phil Thrailkill, who led the totally filled auditorium in the "OUR FATHER" began the program.
The memory of 9-11-2001 will remain and now we can put "adjacent" to that horrible day the splendor of arts helping in the attempt to make sense of it all.
The Watson Theater was filled and many people were unable to attend because of safety and fire regulations preventing standing in aisles. The capacity crowd is another proof of the needs communities have to honor, to remember and to engage.
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