GREENVILLE — Fifteen years after the tragic event of two planes crashing into the World Trade Center in New York City, local schools and organizations are remembering 9/11.
Greenville Junior High School will be holding its annual Patriot’s Day program Friday morning where a 9/11 presentation is provided so students, staff and teachers can discuss and remember what happened that day.
“It’s important to us and that is why we have Patriot’s Day every year, for students to have knowledge of this event,” said Doug Fries, Greenville superintendent. “It is also covered in American History at Greenville High School.”
The Sept. 11, 2001 attacks were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people and injured more than 6,000. Four passenger airliners were hijacked by terrorists. Two of those planes crashed into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center and within two hours, both towers collapsed. The third plane crashed into the Pentagon leading to a partial collapse of the west side of the building. After changing direction and possibly heading toward Washington, D.C., the fourth plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers tried to overcome the hijackers.
On Sunday, the East Main Church of Christ, located at 419 East Main Street, will also be holding a “9-11: A Call to Remembrance” worship service at 10:30 a.m. The service will focus on, not just remembering the events of 9/11, but all the men and women who responded to help those impacted by the terrorist attacks. The service will include a time of recognizing all those who are first responders in the community. Ohio State Representative Jim Buchy will also be taking part in the service.
The program will also include special music by Kandee Combs and an “In Remembrance” message from Minister Jim Morehouse.
“We think it’s worthwhile to keep the events of 9/11 in our memories by honoring not only those who sacrificed their lives, but also those who lay their life on the line everyday,” Morehouse said.
In the state’s capital, the board that oversees the Ohio Statehouse will mark the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks by again installing 2,977 U.S. flags on the Statehouse lawn.
The panel said the flags represent the victims of the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and United Airlines Flight 93. Those sites are reflected in the layout of the flags. From above, the exhibit is designed to look like the twin towers, with a space shaped like the Pentagon and a strip representing the Pennsylvania field where Flight 93 went down. The flags will remain through Monday.
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in southwest Ohio plans a memorial event, too. Staff, contractors and their relatives will participate Friday in a “Run for the Fallen.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
