City comes together to remember attacks on NYC, Pentagon and Flight 93
By Lauren Parker- Gill, News Editor, The Times
Students throughout the Coatesville Area School District honored Patriot’s Day ahead of the 15th anniversary of September 11, 2001.
COATESVILLE – Members of the Coatesville community came together over the weekend at a number of ceremonies to remember the 15th anniversary of the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001.
Caln Elementary, East Fallowfield Elementary and Friendship Elementary each held ceremonies Friday morning that took place outside of their schools, where students gathered around their flagpoles and shared songs and poems.
Caln Elementary students and staff read poems and sang songs in honor of Patriot’s Day. The AFJROTC Color Guard presented colors at Friendship Elementary, where first responders were also in attendance. Principal Brad Bentman read an excerpt from the book “The Little Chapel That Stood” by A.B. Curtiss:
“Hear the bells of Freedom and what they say. Terror may come, but it will not stay. It will shake the world, but we will not sway. It will block the path, but we’ll find our way, Free, beneath the stars that shine both night and day!”
At East Fallowfield Elementary, which was also attended by first responders, along with State Representative Harry Lewis (R-74) and a representative of state Sen. Andy Dinniman (D-19), students were encouraged to study their history and learn about Patriot’s Day.
Retired CASD teacher Nina Petro then read the names of 30 Pennsylvanians who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, followed by the ringing of a bell and a moment of silence after the names were read.
The National Iron and Steel Heritage Museum began the day’s events with a tolling of the bells to mark the events as they occurred, between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m.
A formal ceremony held at Lukens Executive Office Building began at 1 p.m., which featured speaker Dan O’Deens who was a first responder at Ground Zero and spoke of the first days after 9/11.
Dan O’Deens worked at Ground Zero for three weeks, serving those who worked on the pile that had been the World Trade Center.
As a clergy member, O’Deens worked there for three weeks, with his duties varying between serving those who worked on the pile that had been the World Trade Center by feeding them and offering encouragement, to then standing over the pile as remains were found, respectfully removed and accompanied them to the morgue.
“What I remember, still to this day was the opportunity to be a part of the rebuilding of hope in the individual lives of the people I had the privilege of serving.” O’Deens recalled.
O’Deens went on describe the two reflecting pools that now sit within the exact footprint of the World Trade Centers, called Reflecting Absence. Surrounding the pools are bronze plaques with the names of everyone that lost their lives that day – 2,996.
“The largest man-made waterfall in North America now resides in those spaces.” O’Deens said. “It fills the air with the soothing sounds of the ocean and reminds us of the many tears that were shed on that day – a sea of names, over an ocean of tears with a 30 foot drop.”
Scott Huston, president of the National Iron and Steel Heritage Museum spoke of the steel tridents that were manufactured in Coatesville in 1969 that were parts of the northeast corner of the north tower.
Huston encouraged those attending to visit the steel trees outside and to touch them, connect with them…to remember the past and know that time also moves forward.
“We like to say they were born here, they lived in New York, died in New York and we brought them home.” Huston said.
Those who attended the ceremony Sunday were encouraged to put their hands on the steel trees that were once a part of the World Trade Center’s North Tower as a way to connect with the events of that day.
