As the country observed the 11th anniversary Tuesday of 9/11 — the day terrorist attacks on the U.S. killed hundreds and shocked the nation — several members of a group of retired teachers partook in their annual Day of Caring at local schools, memorializing the day by undertaking projects to help the children.

As many as 25 members of the Mid-Coast Retired Educators Association gathered at Bowdoin Central School around 10 a.m. Tuesday and within a couple hours, transformed the flower garden wrapping around the side of the school by planting new flowers — many donated by Skillins Greenhouses in Brunswick and others provided at a large discount by Mid Coast Growers of Bowdoin, according to project coordinator Marilyn Webb of Bowdoin.

Mulch was donated by and some purchased from Country Fare in Bowdoin, Webb said. Karen Mayo, a secretary at Bowdoin Central School, came to the school with her tractor before Tuesday’s planting project and removed some junipers and some of the burning bushes that had grown in the garden since the school opened 11 years ago.

Principal George Jenkins said the garden had become very high-maintenance and required mass weeding parties to tame it.

Webb said the group has been doing a Day of Caring for local schools for the last three or four years, and they always do it on 9/11. The Day of Caring is celebrated by the national association across the county, Webb said. The group sent questionnaires to all schools in the area from Bath to Harpswell to Bowdoin, to see what the schools needed, and the group chose two projects. Tuesday, some members went to Fisher- Mitchell School in Bath to read to students.

Kathy Martin of Bath, the project co-chairwoman, said Tuesday, “It’s very important for me to be here today because 9/11 was a horrible day in history, and I like to do something that can help our community. And so the retired teachers have been doing this for 10 years, helping out in a community… It’s really important to do something for the community, and it’s called our Day of Caring and we do it on Sept. 11.”

On deck Tuesday were a lot of people who love gardening, Martin said, “and this is something we can contribute even though we’re retired teachers.” The garden will draw the morning sun and she said organizers worked to create a garden with plants that will bloom in the spring and fall when the kids are at school because, “this is for the kids.”

Grace Anderson of Bowdoin, another project cochairwoman, said her grandchildren attend Bowdoin Central School and added Tuesday that, “In the spirit of 9/11, we have new life growing in these plants, which will be coming up with new life that will be seeding, and reseeding and the cycle will go on continually long after we’re all gone. Hopefully these plants will be thriving.”

After lunch, all the students came out to see the transformed garden, giving the retired teachers a round of applause. Jenkins said the garden looks beautiful, and told students he may look to them for help caring for it.

The students then all turned to the flag, and honored the country and the victims of 9/11 by saluting the flag and reciting the pledge of allegiance. Jenkins asked classroom teachers who hadn’t already, to have a brief discussion with students about the significance of 9/11.

dmoore@timesrecord.com