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'In my name'

Group dedicates efforts to memory of 9/11 victim

By Matt Dulin
The Daily Cougar

Members of Angels in Action, a community service group, are dedicating all the work they're doing for the Perez family to a man theyill never know.

Richard Palazzolo was killed in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. His name, and the thousands of names left behind in the ash of the Twin Towers, became part of a national list associated with the U.S. Points of Light service organization. Following the advice of Kaye Slack, a longtime community advocate and philanthropist in Fort Bend, the Angels in Action 2003 group picked Palazzolo's name as the one under which to perform community service.

"Itis a great feeling. He could be looking down on us now, going, ‘Wow, this is all being done in my name,i" Mital Brahmbhatt, a social work graduate student and member of the group, said.

Before they could dedicate their work to Palazzolo, however, the group members needed a specific project ­ a mission. And like many 20-somethings who need to sit down and brainstorm when a grade is on the line, Brooke Newhouse and Brahmbhatt went to their local Starbucks.

There, the two ran into Slack, who had taught Brahmbhatt in a service and leadership course in high school. They presented their assignment to Slack, who knew immediately who needed the pairis help.

Through another student of hers, Slack had heard of a family of six in the 5th Street area of Stafford in need of a home restoration. Unfortunately, Slack hadnit been able to help the family yet because her volunteer efforts with the Youth in Philanthropy organization don't involve working on run-down homes this year.

"Itis like this project was meant for them," Slack said, mentioning that she has regularly helped families rebuild their homes for a couple of years.

"By the next week, we had grant money in line from the Rockets Clutch City Foundation, donations from families … and a teacher who inherited money gave us a $1,000 check," Slack said.

"Itis just one miracle on top of another that came together," Slack said. "Miracles are happening all the time."

All that support put the Angels in a position for action, and they took advantage of it.

"Itis amazing how it all came together. We obviously couldnit do this on our own," Angels in Action member and social work student Heather Smith said. "It takes everyone, even the family."
 

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