The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)

LCCC honors lost lives of 9/11

- By Kevin Martin kmartin@morningjou­rnal.com

Lorain County Community College honored the nearly 3,000 lives lost Sept. 11, 2001, in a ceremony marking the 20th anniversar­y of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

The LCCC campus, 1005 Abbe Road in Elyria, and its community and first responders gathered in prayer, remembranc­e and hope in honoring the 2,977 individual­s from 77 different countries who tragically lost their lives, and many more whose lives were forever altered.

LCCC President Marcia J. Ballinger, like many, remembered exactly where she was when she heard the news.

Ballinger said she was on campus on the second floor of College Center in the marketing office with her eyes glued to video monitors mounted to the wall.

“And so this video monitor was up, and the news was playing, as it did every day, and most days you simply just walked by the video monitors and just saw the news in the morning,” she said. “But that particular morning, we were all frozen in time and horrified.”

In the midst of the shock, horror, sorrow and grief, Ballinger said she remembered the feelings of unity and hope in pulling together as Americans to rebuild and recover.

“The tragic events of 9/11 created a special bond in that historic moment in time — a truly unique and special moment of togetherne­ss, of purpose, inspiring us to action to serve our nation, our community and each other,” she said. “As an institutio­n of higher education, I feel it is our duty to carry on the memories of those lost and the lessons of goodness that emerged from those tragic events.”

She added that it is “our duty to ensure current and future generation­s understand this tipping point for our society and the importance of inclusion and valuing diversity.”

Ballinger noted that nationally, about 80 percent of first responders from police, firefighte­rs and EMTs, are trained at community colleges.

The impact first responders have locally in Northeast Ohio communitie­s brings great pride, she said.

LCCC Student Senate President Zarai Aquino recited a poem by Joshua Omaka, “A Brighter Tomorrow,” in reminding everyone that despite the sorrows of today, “in you lies the light that will brighten our world.”

Father Damian Ezeani, director of mission and spiritual care at Mercy Health Lorain, delivered the opening and closing prayers.

TrueNorth Cultural Arts and conductor Rick Fortney delivered performanc­es of “America the Beautiful,” “God Bless America” and additional pieces in remembranc­e.

The remembranc­e display outside of LCCC’s Bass Library has an arrangemen­t of flags in the shape of a star to represent the 2,977 individual­s who tragically lost their lives on 9/11.

An augmented reality feature is available via visitors’ smartphone­s and will project a semi-translucen­t image of the Twin Towers inside the display.

The center of the star features four lights representi­ng the four hijacked planes and their four locations of impact.

To see the translucen­t image, download the free smartphone app Zappar and visitors to the display can scan a code and get a view of the World Trade Center.

The remembranc­e display will be open to the public from Sept. 10-17.

 ?? PHOTOS BY KEVIN MARTIN — THE MORNING JOURNAL ?? Lorain County Community College hosted a ceremony on Sept. 10outside of the Bass Library in honoring the lives lost in the Sept. 11terroris­t attacks.
PHOTOS BY KEVIN MARTIN — THE MORNING JOURNAL Lorain County Community College hosted a ceremony on Sept. 10outside of the Bass Library in honoring the lives lost in the Sept. 11terroris­t attacks.
 ??  ?? TrueNorth Cultural Arts Center choir performs at Lorain County Community College on Sept. 10at a ceremony marking the 20th anniversar­y of the 9/11terroris­t attacks.
TrueNorth Cultural Arts Center choir performs at Lorain County Community College on Sept. 10at a ceremony marking the 20th anniversar­y of the 9/11terroris­t attacks.

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