HAGÅTÑA — Construction begins Saturday, August 29 at the Micronesia Mall Center Court on a 25-foot replica of the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers, built from more than 100,000 toy timber logs to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
The build is the ninth project by the Tower for Humanity team, led by brothers Landon and Brandon Aydlett, and their largest to date. The project will not seek a Guinness World Record, but it will use about 25,000 more logs than the brothers’ record build of 74,019 toy timber logs set in June 2022, according to the release.
Construction will continue during mall hours, with completion targeted for around Wednesday, Sept. 9. The public is welcome to volunteer, particularly between Aug. 29 and Sept. 6.
The towers will be lit at a Tower Lighting and Remembrance Ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. in Center Court. Musical performances begin at 6 p.m. with the JFK High School Jazz Ensemble and the Guam Territorial Band, and the mall’s Center Court lights will go dark ahead of the lighting. The ceremony will honor the lives lost 25 years ago and in the years since, the Tower for Humanity team said, with a focus on unity.
The build anchors a series of public events at the mall through October. Tower for Humanity will partner with Be Heartfelt for a Hunger Action Month Rally on Saturday, Sept. 5, with awareness activities from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the rally from 2 to 4 p.m. Be Heartfelt provides weekend meal packs to more than 350 children across Guam each week, and community members are encouraged to wear orange for Hunger Action Month.
The team will partner with the Guam Offices of Homeland Security and Civil Defense for a National Preparedness Month Outreach Fair on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring local and federal emergency management agencies.
The 4th Annual Cans for Humanity Competition runs Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 10 and 11, concluding a month-long island-wide canned food drive. Teams build structures from collected canned goods, with prizes for best design, most public votes and most cans collected. All food collected supports Be Heartfelt food pantries and weekend meal packs, and the Tower team has set a goal of 30,000 cans. Since the first Cans for Humanity in 2023, Be Heartfelt has expanded its services to more children on Guam as well as on Saipan and in Palau, according to the release.
The towers’ last day in Center Court will be Sunday, Sept. 20, with disassembly the morning of Monday, Sept. 21.
Volunteer and team sign-up information is available through Tower for Humanity on Facebook and Instagram and at beheartfelt.com.
