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Those planning to attend the local commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks are encouraged to arrive early to experience a moving recognition of area emergency responders. The event will be held on Friday, Sept. 11, at the Jaffa Shrine in Altoona, sponsored by the 9/11 Anniversary Committee.
The doors will open at 6 p.m. and observances will begin at about 6:40 p.m. with a Walk of Honor saluting police officers, firefighters, and other local heroes, according to Tony DeGol, a member of the 9/11 Committee.
The Hollidaysburg Community Chorus will perform during that time, and the Presentation of Colors and Military Flags by the SCI Houtzdale Honor Guard will occur, DeGol added.
The official program begins at 7 p.m.
The local 9/11 anniversary commemoration, held every five years in Altoona, is rooted in faith, patriotism, and civic pride. There is no cost to attend, and no tickets or reservations are needed.
"This observance will be an opportunity for the entire community to come together to not only remember the horror of that day a quarter century ago, but to celebrate the strength and resiliency of our country over these past
25 years, to honor families whose loved ones paid the ultimate price, and to salute the good people who serve us and protect us right here in our neighborhoods," stated 9//11 Committee Chair Duane Bordell. "All these years later, we still care."
Patrick White, past president of the Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial, will be the keynote presenter, and U.S. Rep. John Joyce, R-Blair, will also speak.
Nationally recognized musicians performing at the event include Victory Brinker, a 14-year-old singer who competed on America's Got Talent, and Kera O'Bryon, an accomplished actress and singer primarily focusing on musical theatre and opera. The Blair Concert Chorale and the Altoona Community Band are among the local performers, as well as singer/songwriter Brandis Ajay, an Altoona native, and operatic soloist Jim White of Julian.
"As a society, we must never forget what happened on September 11, 2001," DeGol noted. "We must never forget the lives lost, the courage and bravery of the first responders and the other everyday heroes, and the patriotic resolve that bound us together as one nation, under God."