Southington Remembers: 10th Anniversary of 9/11

The outpouring for the commemoration of Memorial Day last Monday is ample witness to our town’s stalwart remembrance of patriotism and its strong sense of community.  

With Flag Day coming June 14th and our nation’s 235th anniversary of its independence soon after, Southington can be counted on to remember and be there.

It should be no surprise then that on September 11, 2011, Southington will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on America when nearly 3,000 people were killed, never to make it home to their loved ones.

Southington will remember the day of devastation at the World Trade Center in New York, the deadly attack on the Pentagon and the passengers and crew members of the airliner that crashed-landed in Stonycreek Township, PA, diverting it from the target of the attackers.

Southington will remember the families of those who died, including 836 brave fire, police and emergency personnel who died in their search and rescue attempts to save others.

No one in our community of 42,000 will be without an opportunity to participate in a uniquely special way on that day.

Organizers are working on a simple idea, conceived right here in Southington so that we may rally as a community to honor those who died in 2001.

First, all are invited to attend a townwide, patriotic memorial service on Sunday, September 11, 2011, at 6:30 pm at Fontana Field at Southington H.S.

Participants will be invited to perform a simple act of service, kindness, good deed, charity or just say a prayer as a tribute to a person who lost his or her life on 9/11. Individuals may choose a name from a list of the 3,000 who died, which will be disseminated through local organizations and town-wide publicity. Some may wish to choose the name of a victim whose name they know.

The program kicks off this month when Southington schools present it to the students before school is out.  Between then and the end of August, students and people of all ages are asked to inscribe the name of the person they’re honoring on a five-inch star, which will also be widely distributed.  On the reverse side of the star, all are asked to briefly note their good deed. Individuals may but are not required to write their own names on the stars.

The stars will be collected at the end of August and arranged in a colorful display at the service on 9/11.

To get involved, contact the event coordinator at SouthingtonRemembers911@yahoo.com, or any group in which you’re a member, e.g., religious congregations, civic, service, social and fraternal organizations, charities, non-profits, business and professional groups as well as public and private health care, educational and municipal institutions and departments.   

Of  the 200 groups invited by mail to participate, the following have already committed:  Bread for Life, Calendar House, Kiwanis, Knights of Columbus, Rotary, Southington Care Center Pastoral Care, Southington Chamber of Commerce, Southington Community Services, Southington Public Schools and the Board of Education, St. Dominic School, St. Thomas School, United Way of Southington, YMCA,  DellaVecchia Funeral Home, First Congregational Church, Gishrei Shalom Jewish Congregation, Grace United Methodist Church,  Gurdwara Guru Nanak Darbar (SIKH), Plantsville Congregational Church,  St. Dominic Church, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and Zion Lutheran Church.

For more information, contact program coordinator Leeanne Frisina at SouthingtonRemember911@yahoo.com or by phone weekdays, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., at 860-628-0349.    

Please accept my confession of unabashed pride in being an American who has always loved my country, through thick and thin.

And, though transplanted here 16 years ago, I'm proud to say: "I'm from Southington, a great place to live!"

God Bless America!