The Town of North Hempstead announced that its annual Sept. 11 ceremony will take place at Manhasset Valley Park, with people allowed to attend for the first time since 2019.
On the 20th anniversary of the attacks against the World Trade Center, the town will hold a memorial service at 8:15 a.m. at the park located on East Shore Road and Northern Boulevard. People can attend despite a recent uptick in coronavirus cases across the nation and concerns over the delta variant.
Officials said the town will unveil a 19-foot-long beam from the World Trade Center during the ceremony, along with honoring the victims, families of the victims and first responders. Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth said honoring the 56 town residents who died is a “distinct honor and privilege.”
“It is our hope that this memorial will give the victims’ families a sense of solace knowing that the names will be indelibly etched at Manhasset Valley Park,” Bosworth said. “This was an overwhelming tragedy from which we are still healing, and it is imperative that these victims are never forgotten. We encourage our residents to take a moment out of their day on September 11th to support the many families who lost a loved one 20 years ago.”
Last year’s service was held virtually due to the coronavirus. Town Clerk Wayne Wink, a Democrat running for Bosworth’s seat as supervisor, said the ceremony will allow officials and residents to reflect and honor the lives of those who perished and helped others survive the tragedy.
“The ceremony serves to provide all who endured the tragedy of September 11th an opportunity to reflect upon its impact and remember those we lost that day,” Wink said. “It is also a day to acknowledge remarkable acts of heroism by countless first responders who risked their own lives to save others and the passengers on Flight 93 who saved untold numbers of lives by rebelling against their hijackers.”
The Village of Floral Park also announced that it will host a memorial service at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 11 at the Relic Memorial in front of Village Hall. Last year, the village held an hourlong ceremony where officials read the names of 11 residents who perished in the attacks.
Nassau County officials have not outlined their plans for the 20th anniversary of the attack. Last year the county held an in-person remembrance and recitation of names ceremony at Eisenhower Park.
The Sept. 11 memorial features 348 names of Nassau County residents who lost their lives along with two aluminum towers and two pieces of steel recovered from the World Trade Center.
