Troy's September 11th Memorial

First, thank you to everyone who provided feedback on my last post, "What matters most to you about Troy." I will respond to some of your points, questions, concerns in my next post later in the week.

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Today, the following article regarding a September 11th Memorial in the city of Troy I wrote appeared in the Troy Record. To date our coordinating committee has been actively meeting and planning. A location has been identified and design is well underway. Both these items will be announced publicly very soon. In the mean time, if you haven't read the article it's below for your enjoyment and if you would like to contribute the information to do so is below as well.

Memorial Logo Courtesy of Ralph Renna

Troy's Treasures: Building a Sept. 11 Memorial

Sept. 11, 2011 will mark the 10th anniversary of one of the most significant days in our nation’s history. The events that occurred that early September morning will shape our nation for generations to come. This day has come to be known as Patriot Day, a day of remembrance. Each year we take time to honor those who were lost in New York, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania; with those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country in the defense of freedom.

To mark this anniversary and to provide a lasting tribute, the members of the Uncle Sam Parade Committee have invited representatives from the local veterans association, police and fire departments, and the City or Troy to join them on a coordinating committee to design, raise funds, and build a Sept. 11 Memorial in the city. The committee has received the support of Mayor Harry J. Tutunjian and is actively planning and fund raising for the memorial.

In the days that followed that fateful September day the response by the general public and our local public safety agencies was outstanding. What began as a rescue mission and soon turned into recovery required hundreds of man hours to sift through the rubble that was the World Trade Center. Almost immediately hundreds of people descended on Lower Manhattan to lend a hand to the effort. Personally, I spent nearly 30 hours over the weekend of Sept. 14 working with other civilians and the US Marshals to recreate the infrastructure that was destroyed as the towers fell. Members of all our local public safety departments jumped to action and made their way to New York City. Members of the City of Troy Police and Fire Departments, along with many local agencies answered the call and for that, a part of this memorial will be dedicated to remembering the local response.

“We will never forget,” this is the mantra repeated in tribute to the tragedy. We will never forget the innocent victims, especially those who were members of our community in Troy and Rensselaer County. We will never forget the bravery of our young men and women who when called to war unselfishly put themselves on the line to defend our country. As a community and a country we have a lot to be thankful for and remembering, honoring, and celebrating these events and these individuals is just the right thing to do because it provides us with perspective. Why should we construct a Memorial because it is our responsibility to do so. We owe it to those that sacrificed and suffered, we owe to those who will come after us to help them understand, and we owe it to ourselves. As a nation and as a state we survived and became even more united. Wasn’t the immediate response of patriotism heartwarming? It appeared that every house on every block and every car antennae had an American Flag proudly on display. We will not forget these events and the September 11tMemorial of Troy will be a proper and respectful remembrance for generations to come.

Time is of the essence with less than nine months to complete the project. The committee understands the significance of this project and is committed to achieving each milestone on schedule. To properly mark the anniversary the Parade Committee has rescheduled the 36th Annual Uncle Sam Parade to the following Sunday on Sept. 18 so that on Sept. 11, 2011 they can host a memorial dedication and service marking this 10th anniversary. Between now and then, as a community, we have a lot of work to do.

We are actively contacting various members of the community seeking your support. The committee’s goal is to primarily fund the construction of the memorial through the use of private dollars. If you would like to contribute to the memorial please mail it to: The Uncle Sam Parade Committee Sept. 11th Fund, PO Box 109, Troy, NY 12182. The Uncle Sam Parade Committee, Inc. is a non-profit corporation with federal tax-exempt status under the provisions Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. A portion of the memorial’s design will include a memorial walkway. Individuals and groups will have the opportunity to sponsor a paving brick. The pavers can be engraved in your name or in honor or tribute to a friend or loved one. More information on the walkway will be made available soon.

For up-to-date information on the Memorial join our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/troy911memorial or to learn about corporate sponsorships email us at troy911memorial@gmail.com.