Release courtesy of Gloucester County:
The Annual Gloucester County Patriot Day Ceremony will take place on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 8:30 a.m. at the 9/11 Memorial at the Place of Reflection, inside Chestnut Branch Park on Main St. in Mantua.
The ceremony is open to the public and is approximately an hour long.
The Memorial is a tribute to Gloucester County residents John Rodak, Nicholas W. Brandemarti, Perry Thompson, and all of those who lost their lives during the attack on America on Sept. 11, 2001.
The brief ceremony includes bell ringing to coincide with the timing of the tragic events of that fateful morning, a wreath laying at the 9/11 Memorial, and participation from the Rodak and Brandemarti families, first responders, the Clearview Vocal Ensemble, area clergy and the Clearview Marching Band.
This year is the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attack on America.
“We join together as a community on Sept. 11 and reflect on the lives of our neighbors who were lost, and all those who perished on that terrible day in 2001,” Commissioner Director Robert M. Damminger said. “This day helps us remember that we are joined as Americans and not separated by our differences.”
“This ceremony is a small way to honor the loved ones lost on such a tragic day. It also provides an opportunity to say thank you to those who serve in the military as well as our emergency responders who fight to protect us every day,” said Senate President Steve Sweeney.
The Place of Reflection’s 9/11 Memorial includes many sacred elements, including a twisted I-beam from the World Trade Center, a flagpole donated by the Rodak and Brandimarti families, a professionally landscaped five-point area around the flagpoles as a tribute to the Pentagon victims of the attack of Sept. 11, and a memorial that represents those who were lost in the United Flight 93, Shanksville, Pa. in 2001.
This event is held in partnership with the Gloucester County Board of Commissioners and the Mantua Township Committee.
