FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, September 3, 2021
STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Tarleton State University is partnering with the city of Stephenville and Erath County on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 to commemorate the nation’s loss and resilience following terrorist attacks that took the lives of nearly 3,000 Americans.
Beginning with the ringing of the Stephenville Fire Department bell at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 11, the ceremony will pay tribute to 9/11 victims and their families, and honor the courage and sacrifice of first responders.
The event takes place at the Administration Mall (near the O.A. Grant Building and Alumni Island) on Tarleton’s Stephenville campus. The community is invited.
Tarleton President James Hurley will open the ceremony, and Stephenville Chief of Police Dan Harris will keynote.
“Continued remembrance of 9/11 is a poignant reminder of the enduring legacy and sacrifice of those who lost their lives that day and the vigilance required to keep our nation safe,” Dr. Hurley said. “It is a time to remember that life is a gift and that true community is more than being geographically close. It’s being connected to something greater than ourselves.”
The Stephenville Fire Department and Tarleton’s Corps of Cadets will post colors, and the Texan Troubadours, under the direction of Dr. Troy Robertson, will perform.
Chief Harris noted the importance of 9/11 ceremonies, since the attacks are history rather than memory for younger Tarleton students. He said: “We must never overlook the courage and sacrifice of the first responders who worked tirelessly to save more than 25,000 lives that day, or the thousands who died. We must never forget.”
Free parking will be available in Lot 10 just off Lillian Street. Students in Tarleton Serves will assist.
A Field of Flags will fly at Tarleton’s O.A. Grant Amphitheater, recognizing the three firemen who raised the red, white and blue on a mangled pole amid the destruction at Ground Zero. The display is open to the public Sept. 8-14.
Contact: Darrell Brown, Executive Director of Student Affairs Outreach
254-968-9497
[email protected]
