Messenger photos by Rick Palsgrove Members of the Madison Township Fire Department Honor Guard carry the American flag during the 9/11 Memorial Service held at Motts Military Museum on Sept. 11. The ceremony commemorated and honored the nearly 3,000 people who died on Sept. 11, 2001 as a result of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and United Flight 93 which crashed in Shanksville, Pa. Guest speaker Lt. Dominick Maggiore of the Fire Department of New York/EMS (retired), who was at Ground Zero when the World Trade Center was attacked, was the guest speaker and told the large crowd, “We all lost a little bit of ourselves that day. I hope the young people of today never have to feel that pain because it never goes away.” Following the ceremony, Groveport Mayor Lance Westcamp said, “This is an excellent ceremony that brings our community together. Lt. Maggiore did a wonderful job expressing our sorrows and respect.”The Groveport Madison High School Symphonic Choir sang the “National Anthem” at the start of the ceremony. Pictured to the left of the choir are the smashed remains of Ladder Truck 18 from the Fort Pitt Fire Station from the Fire Department of New York, which was damaged during the Sept. 11, 2001 attack. The fire engine is now part of the Motts Military Museum collection of 9/11 artifacts.The Madison Township Fire Department Honor Guard brings forth the 9/11 Memorial Wreath.The Madison Township Fire Department Honor Guard raises the American flag.Madison Township Firefighter Ed Dildine (left) and Lt. Dominick Maggiore place the 9/11 Memorial Wreath.The Groveport Police Department fired a 21 gun salute near the end of the ceremony.Groveport Madison High School trumpeter Riley Cartmill playing, “Taps.” He was joined in the playing by trumpeter Alexander Poth (not shown) of Pickerington Central High School.The smashed remains of Ladder Truck 18 from the Fort Pitt Fire Station from the Fire Department of New York, which was damaged during the Sept. 11, 2001 attack. “I still get chills when I walk around that fire truck,” said Motts Military Museum Director Warren Motts.
Many thanks to Firefighter Ed Dildine for faithfully putting together a wonderful program each year to remind us of what we lost and how we came together. God bless America!
Many thanks to Firefighter Ed Dildine for faithfully putting together a wonderful program each year to remind us of what we lost and how we came together. God bless America!