REGION — Springfield and the surrounding communities will be hosting a 9/11 remembrance ceremonies on Monday to mark the 22nd anniversary of the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001. Of the approximately 2,977 people who died that day, about 20 had connections to the Pioneer Valley.
Springfield will begin its ceremony at 10 a.m., at the 9/11 monument in Riverfront Park.
The Adjutant General for the Massachusetts National Guard Maj. Gen. Gary Keef; Springfield Fire Commissioner Bernard J. Calvi; Springfield Police Superintendent Cheryl Clapprood; American Medical Response’s Kimberly D’Angelo; and Mayor Domenic J. Sarno will offer remembrances. The Rev. Gary Dailey, chaplain for the Springfield Fire Department, will speak an invocation.
The ceremonial portion of the program includes the rollout of equipment over the Memorial Bridge to Riverfront Park.
A wreath will be laid on the monument by Keefe, Calvi, Clapprood and D’Angelo, after the tolling of the fire bell. A rifle salute and the playing of taps will conclude the ceremony.
Agawam will conduct a brief ceremony in front of the town’s Fire Department Headquarters. Agawam Fire Chief Alan Sirois, Fire Department chaplain the Rev. Bill Hamilton and the Rev. Harvey Hill, of St. David’s Episcopal Church, will speak at the ceremony.
West Springfield will hold its ceremony at 8:30 a.m. at the 9/11 memorial with its eternal flame located in the town common.
Master of Ceremonies Dan Roberts and the Presentation of Colors by the West Springfield Police Honor Guard will begin the ceremony.
Mayor William Reichelt, Police Chief Paul Connor, Fire Chief Christopher Bartone and Robert Harrington, who lost his daughter Melissa Harrington-Hughes on 9/11, will offer remarks.
A moment of silence will be held at 8:46 a.m., which marks the time the first plane flew into the World Trade Center.
Westfield will commemorate with several ceremonies on Monday.
At 9:45 a.m., the Westfield Fire Department will host its annual ceremony at Fire Headquarters on Broad Street, in honor of first responders who had lost their lives.
At 11 a.m., Mayor Michael A. McCabe will join families of Westfield natives who fell victim to the attacks with a wreath-laying ceremony at the town’s 9/11 monument. The monument will be located at the head of North Elm Street.
At 6 p.m., Sons of Erin will conduct a ceremony and reception at its location at 22 Williams St. to remember the victims of the attack who came from Westfield, including Tara Shea Creamer, Dan Trant and Brian Murphy.
