A ride to remember
9/11 trail event to raise funds, awareness
Conceived in the days following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the September 11th National Memorial Trail has been in the works for nearly 18 years.
Over that time, the 1,300-mile, multistate trail has come together through a mixture of roadways, existing trails and new trails that link the sites of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York, the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Va., and the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville. This physical connection reminds us of the resiliency and character of our nation and, at the same time, memorializes the lives lost on that fateful day.
But funding is needed to make the trail all that it can be.
Trail planners hope to takethe entire track off-road, which would make it more attractive to bikers, hikers and outdoors enthusiasts of all stripes. This kind of construction, planned for the coming decades,will require significant money.
That’s where the inaugural 911 Trail Challenge comes in. It is to be held Saturday, Sept. 7, starting in Berlin, Somerset County. It is a poignant and fitting way to jumpstart the fundraising process.
The 24-mile bike ride will take participants through Shanksville to the Flight 93 Memorial in Stonycreek, offering access to trails on the memorial grounds that usually are closed to members of the public.
Tom Baxter, president of the nonprofit September 11th Trail Alliance, told the Post-Gazette’s Nick Garber that the event will raise funds, through registration fees and sponsorship. Those will be critical to accessing government funding, which must be matched by private donors before it is madeavailable for the project.
The September 11th National Memorial Trail is not the only 9/11-related project that needs funding. Earlier this year, the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, which provides compensation to the victims of the attack or their families, as well as first responders, was the subject of a protracted and heated congressional debate. Ultimately, the fund received permanent authorization from President Trump who recognized that the memories of those who gave their lives or put themselves in harm’s way during the attacks deserved better.
Efforts to support the survivors and commemorate the sacrifice of the fallen should be supported wholeheartedly. And support need not always come in the form of money. Congress is considering resolutions, one sponsored by Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., that would formally recognize the memorial trail. These resolutions deserve unanimous support. While the recognition would be a symbolic gesture, it would draw further attention to the project and its importance in honoring events and victims of 9/11. Congress should embrace these resolutions.
Meanwhile, interested participants and sponsors can visit the 911 Trail Challenge website — 911trailchallenge.org — for more information about how to sign up or get involved.