The sound of buzzing saws and hammering nails filled the air Thursday morning on Mayport Road, where volunteers with Beaches Habitat for Humanity gathered to build the first of 44 affordable homes planned for the site.

But this wasn’t just another construction project.

In honor of the lives lost in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, volunteers and members of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department came together to turn tragedy into service.

“It’s a tribute to those who lost their lives on 9/11,” Steve Gilbert, CEO of Beaches Habitat for Humanity, said. “We are so blessed to have four acres here to build 44 affordable homes.”

The first home being built will be gifted to a local veteran — a symbolic gesture on a day that continues to carry deep emotional weight across the country.

Amon

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