Island Park hosts solemn 9/11 ceremony
Originally published in
Long Island Herald
On the solemn and somber 19th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, elected officials, firefighters, veterans, local leaders and community members gathered at the Village of Island Park’s 9/11 memorial for a ceremony commemorating that dark day in American history.
“We join here today as we do every 9/11,” Mayor Michael McGinty said. “It’s a day of remembrance, a day of reflection and a day of thanksgiving. Our hearts are broken with our losses. As we mourn, our minds hold their resolve . . . We come together to honor and remember all of the innocent lives lost. We honor the courageous, and the heroic first responders who gave their lives to protect us all.”
The Island Park Fire Department presented the colors, while Hempstead Town Councilman Anthony D’Esposito recited the Pledge of Allegiance and McGinty delivered the invocation. Firefighter Michael Kelly and Anthony Perez read the names and rang in a moment of silence, and the mayor and village board placed a memorial wreath to commemorate the lives lost. State Sen. Todd Kaminsky was also in attendance.
