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The 9/11 National Day of Service takes on a special meaning for faculty, staff and students at the University of North Georgia (Â鶹ÊÓƵ). As a senior military college, Â鶹ÊÓƵ will partner with the Georgia Mountain Food Bank to pack 50,000 meals for people in local communities through the third annual Feed the Funnel.

This year's event will be Sept. 16 in the Convocation Center at Â鶹ÊÓƵ's Dahlonega Campus, with student shifts available from 3-4 p.m. and 5-6 p.m.

AmeriCorps and MyGoodDeed, the nonprofit that founded 9/11 Day, funded the grant that supports Feed the Funnel.

For cadet Vershawn Johnson, service has been the impetus for his continued support of Feed the Funnel.

"Honestly, I just love helping people and the community," Johnson said. "I'm all there for it, especially food, because good food is getting really scarce out in the world right now."

Johnson said he encourages everybody to participate in the event, regardless of whether they live on or off campus, or are part of an organization or not. Now a junior pursuing a degree in management with a concentration in entrepreneurship and a minor in cybersecurity, Johnson is heavily involved as Student Government Association (SGA) vice president for the Dahlonega Campus, a Delta Chi fraternity brother, cadet and entrepreneur with his own digital marketing company. For the past three years, though, he's given his time to partake in Feed the Funnel, and has had a lot of fun, too.

"I'll definitely say some highlights would be when they hit the gong when we first begin. It's a rush of adrenaline because we have a goal we need to reach," Johnson said. "Another highlight is when we reach our goal. It's a good feeling because we all worked hard."

Johnson has held different positions each year and his most recent position had him racing around to each table.

"Everyone is running out of the materials needed to feed the funnel, so I was rushing around to different tables, filling up the rice containers, giving more beans and different things like that," he said.

Volunteers can  for the two shifts.

"Each year, millions of Americans take part in service projects to honor those who lost their lives, the families affected, and the heroes who responded. It is a time to never forget, while channeling the spirit of unity, compassion, and resilience that followed the events of September 11, 2001," Emily Harris, assistant director of leadership and community engagement, said. "Here at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, we will honor this day by packaging meals for neighbors in need across our local communities. Students, faculty and staff will work side by side, turning a day of tragedy into a day of good."