Montgomery Township and community partners have announced three public events on Sept. 11 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.
Service to community will be a unifying theme, with a special focus on the first responders who gave their lives in service to the nation two decades ago.
Three people with ties to Montgomery Township were lost in the terrorist attack at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001: Brian Thomas Cummins, who grew up in Belle Mead; Steven Goldstein; and Philip L. Parker. Rocky Hill resident William F. Fallon was also lost that day.
The day’s events will begin at 10 a.m. with a 9-11 Remembrance Service organized by the Montgomery Township Volunteer Fire Department No. 2 in Skillman. The event will consist of a brief ceremony and speeches honoring our fallen New York City firefighters, police officers and first responders, as well as all the lives lost and forever changed by the events that occurred 20 years ago.
This event will be held at the fire company’s 9-11 Memorial at their firehouse located at 529 Route 518, Skillman. The memorial was built by fire department members, using steel from the World Trade Center.
Any large groups are asked to pre-register by Sept. 5 by email to [email protected] with number of attendees and whether your organization is bringing any large vehicles.
Next, the Montgomery Open Space Committee has organized a 9-11 Serving the Community event consisting of tree planting and environmental stewardship at Hobler Park in Skillman from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The park is located across from the Cherry Valley Country Club at 1645 Great Road (Route 601).
All residents are invited to participate by signing up in advance and selecting a one-hour service time to spread out volunteers for COVID safety.
To pre-register, email Lauren Wasilauski at [email protected] or call 908-533-9302.
Once registered, you will receive a link to an instructional video on how to plant a tree, so once you’re at the park, you’ll be ready to get started.
The last event of the day will be a solemn wreath-laying by Mayor Devra Keenan and her colleagues on the Montgomery Township Committee at the 9-11 Memorial at Montgomery Veteran’s Park, Harlingen Road, Belle Mead.
The event will occur at 4 p.m. and members of the public are welcomed to attend.
The wreath is donated by the owner of Blooms at Belle Mead Garden Center and Florist, Danny Hsieh.