9/11 Memorial Ceremony slated for Sunday, September 11 at 6pm, 2016
Fairfield Harbour will honor the lives that were lost and the First Responders on Sunday, September 11 at 6pm at the FH Community Center’s 9/11 Memorial located at 585 Broad Creek Road.
As the 15th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, our thoughts are once again with those who lost loved ones on the tragic morning of September 11, 2001.
The ceremony will include the Color Guard from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, remarks by Craven County Commissioner Tom Mark and others, along with the centerpiece laying of a wreath. Bob Dumon will play the trumpet. A special vocal tribute will be performed by The Southern Gentlemen and Terry Knickerbocker. Ann Simpson, Fairfield Harbour Property Owner Association president, and other board members will preside over the ceremony. A local Girl Scout troop will also participate. Refreshments will be served after the service.
Please plan to attend this important ceremony to help us memorialize those who were killed, honor the sacrifices of the first responders, and remember the spirit of unity that emerged in the aftermath of 9/11.
Ceremony begins promptly at 6pm.
Building of the Memorial was a Community Effort
Assistant Fire Chief Matt Spirko said it was a community effort to build the memorial and a center of community pride in the largely retirement community. He said volunteers undertook the project, including the fire department members and retired members, such as Jim Abell and Walt Kerner.
The memorial includes actual girders from the World Trade Center, which were gathered and stored in New Jersey. The transportation to New Jersey to bring the girders back to Fairfield Harbour was led by Marshal VanWinkle of Bridgeton, who has a museum and is a well-known antique car collector. Fairfield Harbour resident and architect, Betsy Conzelman, provided the design.
At the 2011 ceremony, a plaque was dedicated by Ann Simpson, remembering the late Vinnie Albanese, who worked tirelessly at the attack site in the days after the tragedy. He died of a 9/11 site-related illness.
On Tuesday, September 6, Betsy Conzelman and Jim Ablell appeared on a local community TV show, All About Craven. Here is the link to view the show.
http://www.ctv10.com/aac_tues_sept_6_2016.htm
