September 11th, 2011 - We Will Always Remember

We honour the men, women and children who lost their lives; those who gave their lives and the Heroes who responded on September 11th. 2001. We pray for their families who have suffered an unimaginable loss.

We pause to remember the fateful day, we remember a day that ultimately changed our world forever. We came together for healing and mourning. Then together we united to exact justice and ensure another attack like this never happened again.

We honour our men and women in uniform who are dedicated to protect us and to keep us safe. We will always remember.

Memorial Reflecting Pools

This Sept. 11, the dedication of the 9/11 Memorial in New York will evoke many emotions: reverence for loved ones lost, gratitude for brave first responders, love of country, perhaps some uplift and peace.
"As you walk up to the body of water, there is a moment of sad comprehension.... You understand the scale and magnitude of what happened here." – Michael Arad, architect
In a solemn ceremony, the families of the victims – as well as Presidents Obama and George W. Bush – will look out on two massive waterfalls that pour into pools formed in the footprints of the former towers of the World Trade Center. The water disappears into dramatic black voids. All around the pools are the names of the victims, incised into bronze sheeting.
Instrumental in bringing about the memorial are three Americans who were strangers on 9/11 but ultimately became linked by the terrible events of the day.
These three men (Joe Daniels, Peter Walker and Michael Arad) turned their initial shock into a memorial, transforming the gaping wound in the ground, a reminder of 2,977 lives lost, into a place of serenity, reflection, and grace.

We Remember 9-11

WE REMEMBER SEPTEMBER 11TH

THEY ARE FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS

Together we pause to remember the victims, to grieve with the families and friends of those who died, and to honour the heroes of that day and each day since who have sacrificed to save lives and serve their country. We will always remember will our hearts and our prayers.
With the rest of the world, we pause on September 11th to honour the ninth year since this horrific day. It is a day of sadness, memories, and coming together as one.

New York Honours Fallen Soldiers

Paterson Orders Flags to Half-Staff to Honour Fallen Soldiers
Gov. David Paterson has ordered flags on state buildings across New York flown at half-staff to honour soldiers from New York who are killed in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A spokesman for the governor says the new policy began Wednesday when the flag was lowered for three Fort Drum soldiers killed in Iraq on June 4 near Sharqat. On Monday, flags will be lowered again for Staff Sgt. Tyler Pickett, who was killed in action in Kirkuk Province in Iraq on June 8.

Although the four dead soldiers were from other states, they were all assigned to the 10th Mountain Division and stationed at Fort Drum in northern New York. Spokesman Morgan Hook says Paterson believes even if a soldier is from another state, if they are serving with a New York-based unit, that makes them a New Yorker.

Gov. David Paterson has directed that flags on New York state government buildings be flown at half-staff Wednesday in honour of SPC. Jason M. Johnston, who became Albion’s first casualty of war Saturday.

Johnston, 24, was killed while serving in Arghandab, Afghanistan. A Department of Defense official confirmed Johnston’s death, stating that he died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

“All New Yorkers mourn the death of this brave young soldier,” Paterson said. “We join with the family, friends and fellow soldiers of Specialist Johnston in grieving his death. But we also join with them in honoring his patriotism and dedication to his mission and to our nation.”

Johnston was assigned to the second Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, fourth Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C.