Communities to mark 20th anniversary of 9/11
Conroe, The Woodlands have events scheduled for next month, remembering those lost and honoring first responders
CONROE — Nearly every adult American, regardless of their age or location in the country, remembers where they were and what they were doing when they heard about the terror attacks in New York City on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.
To mark the 20th anniversary of this somber occasion, groups in Conroe and The Woodlands are hosting remembrance ceremonies to offer a time to remember those lost and reflect on this dark day in the country’s history.
Two of the ceremonies will be timed to coordinate with the moment the World Trade Center was first attacked.
Conroe events
The Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Commission is commemorating the 20th anniversary on Sept. 11 starting at 8 a.m. at the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Park, 1 Freedom Blvd., in Conroe, on the feeder road at Interstate 45 north and Texas 105.
The intent is to encourage people to never forget this day and remember all who have sacrificed with a quiet reflection and prayer, organizers said.
“This is a somber occasion on this 20th year since the premeditated attack on the United States of America. We pause briefly here to remember, reflect and take a moment on this occasion,” said Judge Jimmie C. Edwards III, chairman of the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Commission.
The event will be coordinated to occur at the exact moment the first World Trade Center tower was attacked.
The memorial commemoration will start at 8:40 a.m. with the Conroe Fire Department turning on their emergency lights. Opening remarks will be followed by a moment of silence at 8:59 a.m., the time the World Trade Center’s south tower collapsed. All uniformed firefighters will receive a very loud final call tone on their phones for the 343 firefighters who lost their lives that day.
Learn more about the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Commission at honoredmission.org or on Facebook.
The Woodlands events
The Woodlands Township Parks and Recreation Department will host two ceremonies — in remembrance of 9/11 and in honor of first responders. The community is invited to attend both events.
The Patriot Day of Remembrance will be from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. at Central Fire Station, 9951 Grogan’s Mill Road. The ceremony will include a presentation of colors by The Woodlands Fire Department Honor Guard along with a reading of “The Fireman’s Prayer” and “The Ringing of the Bell” in honor of fallen firefighters.
First Responders Day in The Woodlands will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. at Town Green Park, 2099 Lake Robbins Drive. The Township will honor and thank first responders with a community-wide event featuring guest speakers, live music and food vendors.
For more information, go to thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov.
Tribute and fundraiser
Conroe VFW Post 4709 will host a 9/11 remembrance and tribute at 4 p.m. Sept. 11 at 1303 West Semands St., in Conroe.
Guest speakers will include Judge Sue Karita from El Paso, retired New York Police Detective Vicky Tompkins, who now lives in Conroe, and three firefighters who assisted with the efforts at Ground Zero.
“I can’t believe it’s been 20 years. It seems like there’s a whole generation of people who don’t know what happened and they don’t understand the enormity of the events that went on that day,” Tompkins said.
Tompkins and Chaplain Bruce Stewart organized the group Assist the Blue. They approached Honor Cafe owner Chris Sadler with the idea of having a dinner fundraiser and he was all in.
The dinner takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. at Honor Cafe, 103 N. Thompson, Conroe. Tickets are $50 and may be purchased on Facebook @HonorCafeConroe. Proceeds will go to support the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Tower Foundation. Siller was a New York City firefighter who died saving others on 9/11. His brother started the foundation in his memory.
The foundation at t2t.org assists all first responders, the military and Gold Star Mothers groups, Tompkins said.