Ceremony Marks 20th Anniversary of September 11, 2001 Attacks

Garden City NY

21 September, 2021

9:34 PM

Description

Garden City firefighters held a remembrance ceremony at the Village's 9/11 Memorial on the Village Green Saturday to solemnly pause and remember the fallen on the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The program paid tribute to those Garden City residents that perished during the attack on the World Trade Center, the 343 members of the New York Fire Department, 23 members of the New York Police Department and 37 members of the Port Authority Police Department killed, as well as those who have died of 9/11-related illnesses. Ex-Chief Lawrence Nedelka offered the invocation and benediction. "May we grieve with those who still mourn and share memories with those who cannot forget. May we draw strength from those who bravely responded and gave their lives to save others. May we stand with strangers who became neighbors that day and remember their generosity and hospitality," he said. Chief Devyn Moody said the Village memorial should serve as a daily reminder. "September 11, 2001 forever changed our world. No words, no ceremony, no plaques, no amount of tears will ever replace the people we have lost. Let this memorial provide all of us here in Garden City with a daily reminder to take nothing for granted, appreciate our freedoms and count our blessings, strive to help our fellow Americans in times of need and cherish our friends and family." Village Board members as well as members of Garden City's executive staff joined Mayor Cosmo Veneziale on the Village Green. The 2nd Battalion 25th Marines provided the Color Guard for the service and members of a local Boy Scout troop also attended, as did local representatives, including Nassau County Legislator Laura Schaefer. A bell tolled after the reading of each of the 23 residents' names, which are etched in the memorial monument stone on the Village Green. The playing of Taps followed.