IN MEMORY: FIFTEEN YEARS LATER
Below are details about local memorial services planned to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Fair Haven
“Respecting the wishes of the widows, we no longer have an official ceremony,” Mayor Ben Lucarelli said. “We do leave roses on the benches for anyone who visits the memorial” at Memorial Park, River Road and Fair Haven Road.
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Middletown
The township will hold a remembrance ceremony on Sunday, September 11th at 6:30 p.m. at the Middletown WTC Memorial Gardens to pay tribute to the 37 residents killed in the World Trade Center attack 15 years ago.
The candlelight service will include music, prayer, and a bell tribute followed by a walk through the gardens. A limited supply of candles will be available but attendees are encouraged to bring their own.
The service will be held rain or shine. Parking will be available at the main commuter lot at the Middletown Train Station, located next to the memorial gardens. Church Street will be closed at Kings Highway so please plan travel routes accordingly.
The Memorial Gardens continue to be maintained by the Middletown WTC Memorial Committee in partnership with Middletown Township. Donations for the perpetual maintenance of the gardens are welcome and appreciated. Donations can be sent to: Middletown WTC Memorial Gardens, c/o Mayor’s Office, Middletown Township, 1 Kings Highway, Middletown, NJ 07748.
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Red Bank
Red Bank Elks Lodge #233 will host a ceremony in remembrance of the tragic events of that day in Riverside Gardens Park at 9 a.m. on Sunday, September 11th.
The event is co-sponsored by the Red Bank Parks and Recreation Department and the speakers will include Mayor Pasquale Menna.
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Shrewsbury
Monmouth County is encouraging all municipalities to participate in their countywide September 11th memorial ceremony [listed below]. The borough will be one of the municipalities attending this ceremony. Residents are encouraged to attend. Please join them for a time of reflection and remembrance as we mark the 15th Anniversary of the Tragedy of September 11, 2001.
Please RSVP to Karen Livingstone at 732-842-4000, ext. 4256, or email klivings@monmouthcountyparks.com
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Monmouth County
On Sunday, September 11 at 8 a.m. the Monmouth County Park System will host a Memorial Ceremony at Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook, Atlantic Highlands, the site of the county’s 9/11 Memorial.
Marking the fifteenth anniversary of the tragedy, the ceremony will honor the memory of those lost and reflect on the bravery of the day’s first responders. Speakers include Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone, Freeholder and Park System Liaison Lillian G. Burry, Middletown Police Chief Craig Weber, and Rev. David Cotton. The Pipes & Drums of the Atlantic Watch will provide music.
The ceremony is held rain or shine. All are welcome to attend. In addition to the ceremony, the Park System will mark the occasion by extending Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook’s hours until 11 p.m. Friday-Sunday, September 9-11, to provide additional opportunities to visit the 9/11 Memorial.
Set against views of New York City, the county’s 9/11 Memorial has three symbolic components: a timeline walkway to recollect the events of September 11, 2001; a stone base carved with the names, ages and hometowns of the 147 county residents who lost their lives that day; and an eagle sculpture with a beam from one of the fallen World Trade Center towers.
For more information about the 9/11 Memorial Ceremony, please visit www.monmouthcountyparks.com or call 732-842-4000, ext. 4312. For persons with hearing impairment, the Park System TTY/TDD number is 711. The Monmouth County Park System, created in 1960 by the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders, is Monmouth County’s Open Space, Parks, and Recreation agency.