Sept. 11, 2001 is a day that changed America forever.
In the early morning hours, Al-Qaeda extremists hijacked commercial airplanes filled with people and used them to wreak destruction upon key infrastructure. These events played out live on televisions all around the nation and the memory of that morning is one that is burned into the psyche of the millions who looked on in helpless horror as one of the worst tragedies in the country’s history was carried out. Thousands of civilians and hundreds of first responders lost their lives that day and the entire nation was rocked to its core.
But even with tragedy, there can be a positive result. For many Americans, it was a resurgence of patriotism unlike any seen for decades before.
With so much division and contention in the country today, the anniversary of Sept. 11 is a chance to reinforce the idea that we must never forget the events of that day, nor should we forget the importance of standing together as a nation against all attempts to tear down what has been so painfully built up.
Helping keep the legacy of Sept. 11 alive locally is the Pahrump Valley Rotary Club, which hosts a ceremony each year to mark the occasion. This year will be no different, with a 9/11 Memorial Ceremony set for this Monday, Sept. 11 at the First Responders Reflection Area.
The ceremony program includes a variety of speakers as well as the emotional tolling of the bell which will take place at the exact minute that each of the four airplanes crashed.
It will open with a presentation of the colors by the Nye County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard and the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, after which Sheriff’s Deputy Greg Curtain will regale the crowd with the national anthem. An opening prayer will be offered by Pastor Ryan Johnson and speeches will follow.
Set to speak on Monday are Rotary Club President Jeffrey Dye and Rotary Past President Roy Mankins, who was instrumental in bringing the local First Responders Reflection Area to the valley. Nye County Emergency Management Director and Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Lewis, Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill and Nevada Assemblyman Greg Hafen II are on the schedule, too, as are Nye County Commissioners Frank Carbone and Ron Boskovich. Karen Jackson with KNYE Radio, Mikey Roohan with KPVM TV and local resident Reva Braun will also offer thoughts in the day as well.
The bell will be rung at precisely 8:46 a.m. in honor of American Flight #11, which crashed into the North Tower. Another tolling will occur at 9:03 a.m. in remembrance of United Flight #175, which crashed into the South Tower. At 9:37 a.m., the third bell ringing will take place in honor of American Flight #77, which crashed into the Pentagon. In recognition of United Flight #93, the final tolling of the bell will happen at 10:03 a.m. The destination of this fourth flight is unknown, as it never made it to it intended location. Instead, the passengers on board courageously took action in an attempt to stop the terrorist attack and that plane ultimately crashed into a field in Somerset, Pennsylvania.
The 9/11 Memorial Ceremony is set for Monday, Sept. 11 at the First Responders Reflection Area inside the Calvada Eye, located on Walt Williams Drive. The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. but attendees are asked to ensure they arrive no later than 8:15 a.m. so the ceremony can start on time.
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com