Participants place roses at the foot of the monument at last year’s ceremony. —Macklin Reid photo
The annual Sept. 11 ceremony will take place this evening, Sept. 11, at 6:30 p.m. in front of the monument on the grounds of the Ridgefield Parks and Recreation Center, 195 Danbury Road.
Participants will include members of the Ridgefield Police Honor Guard and the Ridgefield Volunteer Fire Department Color Guard who will process while native Ridgefielder and recent college graduate Tommy Weeks plays tenor saxophone.
First Selectman Rudy Marconi will welcome all and lead the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the new leader of Temple Shearith Israel, Rabbi David L. Reiner, who will give the invocation.
Members of the Ridgefield Chorale will sing Blades of Grass under the direction of Daniela Sikora; Father Joseph Prince of St. Elizabeth Seton Roman Catholic Church will offer a reflection.
Operatic Tenor William Joyner will sing God Bless America followed by St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church Pastor Gaylon Barker’s reflection on the event.
Stamford deputy fire marshal and Ridgefield resident Terrence Shay, bagpiper, will play Amazing Grace.
The ceremony will conclude with an invitation for all to lay a flower on the monument and join all musicians in singing the national anthem, followed by the benediction, which will be given by the Rev. Karen Halac of the First Congregational Church.
This year marks the 12th year since the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, and the town has held this ceremony each year since that day.