The Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners will hold the Monmouth County Sept. 11 memorial ceremony for a time of reflection and remembrance at Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook, 460 Ocean Blvd., Atlantic Highlands, on Sept. 11 at 9 a.m.
“The Board of County Commissioners would like to invite everyone to join us as we remember those who lost their lives during and after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001,” said Commissioner Director Thomas A. Arnone.
“On that tragic day, 147 Monmouth County families lost loved ones and it is our duty to remember those who lost their lives and continue to offer our support to their families,” Arnone said.
“Mount Mitchill is home to the Monmouth County Sept. 11 memorial which is a tribute to the 147 men and women who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks,” said Commissioner Ross F. Licitra, liaison to the Monmouth County Park System.
“The path leading to the memorial chronicles the events of that day and at the center is the light stone sculpture of an eagle by local artist Franco Minervini. This eagle grasps a beam from the World Trade Center. It is a fitting tribute and our way of honoring those who lost their lives that day,” Licitra said.
At 266 feet, this overlook in Atlantic Highlands sits on the highest natural elevation on the Atlantic seaboard (excluding islands) from Maine to the Yucatan, providing beautiful views of Sandy Hook, Sandy Hook Bay, Raritan Bay and the New York skyline. This 12-acre site is also home to Monmouth County’s Sept. 11 memorial, according to a press release.
In 2002, the Monmouth County 9/11 Committee formed and began making plans for a fitting tribute to the victims, heroes and events of Sept. 11, 2001. The group’s first responsibility was to select a memorial to fit into Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook.
The committee members then embarked on a fundraising effort to finance the memorial. By midsummer 2005 the group exceeded its goal by raising $296,000. Continued donations will support the upkeep and maintenance of the memorial, according to the press release.