Sunday marked the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and a parade and ceremony were held in Warsaw to remember the lives lost during the terrorist attacks.
Local residents, law enforcement, fire personnel, emergency management services personnel and city and county officials gathered at Center Lake Pavilion to remember 9/11.
A parade went down Center Street, Indiana Street and Canal Street to the 9/11 Memorial in Central Park. Flags lined the streets of Central Park as parade attendees watched the parade.
Following the parade, a 2011 Patriotic Day Remembrance Ceremony was held at the 9/11 memorial. The ceremony included a time of prayer, music and reflection on 9/11.
The theme of the event was “A Celebration of America – 10 Years After.”
Mike Cox, 9/11 committee co-chair, provided remarks on 9/11.
“Within 77 minutes, four planes were crashed, killing nearly 3,000 people -- all because some people despise the American way of life,” Cox said.
Cox said Americans are still fighting a war not just in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also in the U.S.
“Dozens of attacks have been thwarted through the vigilance of our military, our emergency responders and alert citizens,” Cox said.
He said that is why it is so important to remember 9/11 so America does not become complacent.
Ed Rock, Kosciusko County Emergency Management director, sang “We Need God In America.” Brad Kellar, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department deputy, sang “God Bless The U.S.A.”
Ivory West sang the National Anthem, and internationally know guitarist Kevin Kyle played a guitar rendition of the National Anthem.
Boy Scout Troop 715, Warsaw, led ceremony attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance. Boy Scout Jordan Timbers was recognized for his project in encouraging Center Street residents to hang flags at their homes in honor of 9/11.
Ken Locke, 9/11 committee member, discussed the significance of a 9/11 Remembrance Flag that hung by the 9/11 memorial.
The stars on the flag symbolize the airplanes that were sacrificed on 9/11. The red background of the flag symbolized the lives lost in 9/11.
The Pentagon and two rectangles representing the Twin Towers were on the flag, the circle around the pentagon represents the unity that occurred after the tragedy, and The God Bless America slogan was adopted to represent the hope and faith of the nation.
“We must never forget 9/11 and that freedom is not free and that everything we have here comes with a price paid by blood, sweat and sacrifice,” Locke said.
Locke recognized Chris Gagnon, 15, a Tippecanoe Valley High School sophomore who won the 9/11 essay contest. He is the son of Leonard and Dawn Gagnon, Silver Lake.
During the ceremony, Gagnon read his essay titled “The Day That Shook America.”
Locke also read a 9/11 essay written by students in second grade at Claypool Elementary titled “Celebrating America’s Heroes.”
Dathan Reed, Red Cross emergency services director, presented Joel Beam, Warsaw Police Department, with a trophy for WPD giving the most blood during the Battle of The Badges Blood Drive held this past summer at Center Lake Pavilion.
Those who attended the ceremony had the opportunity to sign a banner with their names that will be presented to soldiers overseas.
People also were able to purchase 9/11 bracelets and magnets that will go to assist the 9/11 committee for maintenance of the 9/11 memorial.
Attendees also signed their names on a banner that will be sent to troops over seas.
Cox thanked his co-chair, Cathy Reed, and 9/11 committee members Ken Locke, Cindy Justice, Deb Miotto, Pat Cox, Eric Teune and Ryan Reed for their contributions to the ceremony and thanked Warsaw Community Development Corp.
