Harrison Township will host its annual Patriot Day Commemoration at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11, at Mullica Hill Baptist Church, where the lives lost and sacrifices made on 9/11 will be honored.
The free ceremony will take place at the 9/11 memorial in front of the church along Main Street and anyone interested can attend. There is a replica of the Twin Towers at the memorial that sits beside artifacts from that day.
“Our municipality was fortunate to acquire three significant artifacts: a 6-foot steel beam from the World Trade Center, a limestone base stone from the Pentagon and a limestone rock recovered near the United Flight 93 (Pennsylvania) crash site,” said Deputy Mayor Lawrence Moore.
“These artifacts now rest at the heart of our Main Street,” he added, “serving as a constant reminder of the lives lost and the enduring American spirit. Given the historical designation of our Main Street and its heavy foot traffic, it was only fitting to place these artifacts in such a prominent location.”
While there have been no formal invitations issued for special guests, members of the Harrison Township committee will attend, and Harrison police and fire personnel will lay wreaths at the site to honor the firefighters and police officers who gave their lives that day.
“Since 2018, our Patriot Day Commemoration has evolved into a deeply meaningful experience for our community,” noted Moore, “featuring a wreath-laying ceremony by our police and fire departments, members of American Legion Post 452 and three civilian residents.”
Leadership from both Gloucester County and the state are also expected to attend the event. Past commemorations included the sight of an American flag dangling from a fire truck’s ladder in the background of the Twin Towers replica.
“There are no formal invitations for special guests,” Moore explained. “However, we warmly encourage everyone to attend. In past years, our ceremony has been attended by leadership from the state and county, and, as always, we welcome their presence.”
