A brief memorial event in Mills Park is set for the morning of Sept. 11 to recognize and honor those who lost their lives in the national attack on that date in 2001.
The Carson City ceremony is set for 8:46 a.m. in the park at the World Trade Center I-beam Memorial site. It will include remarks by Mayor Robert Crowell, Sheriff Ken Furlong and Fire Chief Bob Schreihans.
“I’ve been asked to speak,” said the mayor, adding city government coordination was being handled by various city departments working under the auspices of City Manager Nick Marano. Marano has arranged through the Parks and Recreation Department for a sound system and other pertinent apparatus, with the Fire Department and the Sheriff’s Office so there would be an honor guard, and with Public Works to handle pre-event street advertising via an electronic sign.
A minister is expected to be on hand as well and the ceremony could include a moment of silence, a prayer, lowering of the flag and the commemorative remarks.
“The theme is to remember what happened, to never forget, and to recognize first responders,” the mayor said.
The World Trade Center I-beam Memorial is located along with the Firefighters’ Memorial in the grassy area not far from the Marv Teixeira Pavilion at the east end of Mills Park near East William and Saliman streets.
The I-beam memorial was solicited and received from the Port Authority in New York. and the 1,600 pound relic was temporarily installed in a preliminary spot at the park near the pavilion in September, 2011. Later it was given the current permanent site. Also considered before the final selection were two sites near the Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William St., on the park’s west side.
Instrumental in getting the I-beam for the memorial were Jim Shirk before he was elected to his current post on the Board of Supervisors, the Cultural Commission on which he served then, and various city officials. The mayor, Furlong, then-Fire Chief Stacey Giomi, and then-Supervisor Shelly Aldean provided letters of support to help obtain the I-beam to honor those who died in the attack, both civilians and first responders.
