DeWitt pays tribute on 9/11 anniversary

TOWN OF DEWITT – The Town of DeWitt observed the 21st anniversary of 9/11 this past Sunday afternoon with a remembrance event in front of the memorial monument on Butternut Drive.
One after another, guest speakers stepped to the podium to share recollections of that fateful morning in September 2001 and how the string of terror attacks on United States soil affected the American public at large.
During his invocation under the drizzle, Rev. Joe Colon asked for comfort to be granted to those still coping with grief and prayed for first responders facing danger and the unexpected on their shifts.
“As we mark this anniversary of sorrow, may there be occasions to discern what truly matters,” said Colon, who serves as the chaplain for the DeWitt Police Department.
Before he ever wore that clerical collar, however, Colon was a New York City homicide detective. To this day, he encourages others to never forget what happened on Sept. 11 and always keep in mind the men and women who have given their lives to serve and protect.
To him, the memorial next to the DeWitt Town Hall is “sacred ground” where he can mourn his friend from the New York City Police Department’s Emergency Service Unit who died in the Twin Towers and three other patrol partners that succumbed to cancer resulting from dust cloud exposure after the buildings collapsed.
When it came his turn to speak to the crowd, Deputy Town Supervisor Kerry Mannion thanked the attendees for their sense of community as well as the ambulance personnel and local police and fire departments present.
“This is one day where we can all take a step back and reflect,” Mannion said. “Sept. 11 was a reminder that life is fleeting, impermanent and uncertain. Therefore we must make use of every moment and nurture it with affection, tenderness, beauty, creativity and laughter.”
The closing remarks from Onondaga County Sheriff Eugene Conway pointed to small and simple acts of service and kindness as central to both honoring the nearly 3,000 lives lost on 9/11 and reclaiming the spirit of unity demonstrated in the country following the attacks.
“As daylight turns to dusk, and as today inches toward tomorrow, the spirit of our freedom, the courage, the bravery, and selfless acts of humanity will forever stay ingrained, certainly in our hearts and hopefully in our minds,” Conway said.
The commemoration also included ceremonial musical accompaniment by bagpiper Jack Hines and trumpeter Jeff Stockham, a wreath presentation by Town Councilor Joe Chiarenza and his son, the posting of the colors, and a rifle salute.
DeWitt Police Lt. Jerry Pace, the emcee for the afternoon, said the annual ceremony is a way for individuals born after 2001 to better understand how the nation bounced back after 9/11. On behalf of the Town and its 9/11 committee that meets monthly, Pace thanked the veterans viewing from home and there in person along with current members of the U.S. military in all branches. He also gave a nod to the Suburban Garden Club for their maintenance of the monument site.
Chiarenza, the event chairperson, said the continued care of the memorial is a “labor of love.” He added that the 9/11 committee is looking to bring in more volunteers from the local school districts, just as they did by inviting two Jamesville-DeWitt High School students to sing the national anthem and lead the pledge of allegiance to start the ceremony.
The memorial near the entrance to the town hall parking lot contains a six-ton steel column recovered from the World Trade Center wreckage. On top is a sculpture of two flames representing the Twin Towers connected to a plaque displaying lyrics from Katharine Lee Bates’ “America the Beautiful.”