This year marks the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, a day that changed America forever. To commemorate this occasion and pay tribute to those we lost, Voorhees Township will be participating in a National Moment of Remembrance at 1 p.m. on September 11, 2011 when all residents are called upon to stop and remember the victims for one full minute.
As part of the remembrance, I have asked the Voorhees Township Police Department and Fire Department to sound their sirens and all Voorhees’ houses of worship to ring their bells as a signal for each person to stop and reflect.
Almost 3,000 innocent people were killed on that fateful day, including more than 700 from New Jersey. The Fire Department of New York suffered 343 fatalities, the largest loss of life of any emergency response agency in United States history. The Port Authority Police Department suffered 37 fatalities, the largest loss of life of any police force in United States history in a single day. The New York Police Department suffered 23 fatalities.
The impact of that day on our public health continues through 2011, as nearly 90,000 people are at risk of or suffering from negative health effects as a result of the events of that day, including 14,000 workers and 2,400 community residents who are sick. Tens of thousands of others are having their health monitored.
Ten years later, thousands of brave men and women in the United States Armed Forces remain in harm’s way defending the United States against those who seek to threaten us. They are also in our thoughts and prayers.
On September 11, 2001, our country was changed forever. While we should remember the innocent victims every day, on September 11, 2011 at 1 p.m. we will pause and reflect. We will hug our loved ones, bow our heads and remember.
**Woofstock, the Voorhees Animal Orphanage’s biggest fundraising event of the year, is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10 at Connolly Park on Centennial Blvd. Rain date is Sept. 11. The event will feature festivities for animal lovers of all ages and their leashed pets. Crafters and venders are welcome. Admission is a $1 donation, but senior citizens and children under 12 are free. For more information about Woofstock or the Animal Orphanage, visit www.theanimalorphanage.org or call 856–627–9111.
**The 2011 Summer Twilight Series concludes with the Township’s Annual Movie Night in the Park on Saturday, Sept. 24 (rain date Saturday, Oct. 1). The students in the Voorhees Schools will vote on their favorite movie to be shown on the “big screen.” The event is free and begins at 7:30 p.m. at Connolly Park.
