07da5110c4ce79d8482dc5c1f6f9b03d.jpg

MONROE: Township dedicates 9/11 beam at firehouse

By Natalia Knochowski, Staff Writer
   MONROE TOWNSHIP — A piece of a steel beam from the World Trade Center was presented to the township by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Wednesday morning at Fire District 3 during a tribute ceremony that honored those who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 attack.
   ”This piece of steel will create a lasting memory,” Fire District 3 Chief Peter Gasiorowski said. He explained that the piece also help to educate everyone about what happened.
   Mayor Richard Pucci then addressed the audience and called upon his own experience of Sept. 11.
   ”It didn’t matter if you were white or black — what religion you were — we were all as one,” he said of the day nine years ago.
   ”We’re all one big family,” he said of the United States.
   According to Chief Gasiorowski, the process to receive the piece of steel took about a year. Monroe Township had to apply to the Port Authority and explain what it planned to do with the steel.
   In addition, Bill Baroni, deputy executive director of the Port Authority and the former state senator from the district representing Monroe, said each piece of steel and application was looked at by a federal judge.
   According to Norma Manigan, the senior manager of public affairs for the Port Authority, Monroe Township is one of about 100 New Jersey towns that will receive a piece of steel beam from the World Trade Center.
   In addition, Ms. Manigan said that the Port Authority has received 1,027 requests from towns throughout America and has even received requests from agencies in six other countries.
   Also at the ceremony was Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, who said “there’s no doubt that what was happening on 9-11 will be in the hearts of everyone.”
   ”It will teach our children and our children’s children,” she added.
   The piece of steel will be put on display in the front vestibule of Fire District 3’s building on 16 Centre Drive so that everyone can see it when they walk in, Chief Gasiorowski said. û