Amarillo community is invited to remember and honor lives lost during 9/11

Brianna Maestas, Amarillo Globe-News
·4 min read

This Sunday, Sept. 11, marks the 21st anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on our country. In honor of those who gave their lives that day, several local organizations are coming together in remembrance to give honor to those fallen heroes.

On Sunday, the community is invited to join a commemoration ceremony, including area first responders, to be held at the Texas Panhandle War Memorial, located at 4101 S. Georgia, to honor the fallen heroes and the thousands of lives lost on that tragic and historic day.

During the ceremony, members of the Amarillo Fire Department, Amarillo Police Department, Amarillo Medical Services, LifeStar, Randall County Sheriff's Office and Potter County Sheriff's Office, along with multiple other agencies from the surrounding area, will be present.

Area law enforcement officials gathered at the Texas Panhandle War Memorial in a previous ceremony to honor those who were killed in the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
Area law enforcement officials gathered at the Texas Panhandle War Memorial in a previous ceremony to honor those who were killed in the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

The ceremony will promptly begin at 8:40 a.m. featuring keynote speaker, Army veteran and NAACP Vice-President David Lovejoy. Lovejoy's words will be followed by the lowering of the American flag to half-staff with rifle volleys and "Taps," proceeded by a 555 bell ringing, then a moment of silence, beginning at 8:59 a.m. to 9 a.m. Afterward at 9:01 a.m., the honor guard will raise the American flag as LifeStar performs a flyover while "Amazing Grace" is played by pipes and drums, ending the ceremony with a benediction, and the presentation of the flag.

"The significance of the time is we will have a moment of silence from 8:59 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. That is when the plane struck the tower; everything else is timed out to lead up to that moment," said AFD community liaison Jeff Justus.

"We host this event annually to honor and remember not only the brothers and sisters that made the ultimate sacrifice, but everyone that lost their life that day," Justus said.

The Amarillo Fire Department respectfully asks that individuals arrive early to avoid interruption during the solemn ceremony. Parking may be limited due to a large number of emergency vehicles in attendance. Due to LifeStar's expected flight, no drones are prohibited in the area during the commemoration.

Local organizations invite the Amarillo Community to honor and remember the lives of those list during the 9/11 terrorist attacks with several remembrance ceremonies and activities throughout the weekend.
Local organizations invite the Amarillo Community to honor and remember the lives of those list during the 9/11 terrorist attacks with several remembrance ceremonies and activities throughout the weekend.

Before the memorial ceremony, the community is invited to attend a prayer gathering Saturday morning at 10 a.m. at the Amarillo House of Prayer in the Miracle Covenant Church Healing Center, located at 806 S. Bryan St. The theme for the prayer ceremony will be "Join the Movement" and "God's Answer to America" led by Harold Olesen, prayer coordinator for the Amarillo House of Prayer.

Beginning Friday, Sept. 9, Panhandle Community Services Senior Corp program, in partnership with Coffee Memorial Blood Center, is hosting a blood drive to honor the lives of those lost on Flight 93 during the 9/11 attacks. The two-day event is being held Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. and Monday, Sept. 12 from 10 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at Panhandle Community Services' office at 1309 SW 8th Ave.

During the event, PCS will be giving away 40 wind chimes to represent each life sacrificed on that flight.

"We are doing this to not only honor all who lost their lives in 9/11, but also as participation in the day of service and remembrance. I had the opportunity to choose our activity this year, and I obviously wanted to honor those from 9/11 but specifically those from Flight 93. Everybody remembers the towers, and everyone remembers the Pentagon. And it isn't as though they forget Flight 93, but it's not as often in the forefront in peoples' minds," said Annette Lusk, volunteer coordinator with PCS.

Flight 93 included seven crew members and 33 passengers when four terrorists aboard the plane hijacked it with intent for the nation's capital. Due to the courage and sacrifice of the 40 people aboard the aircraft, the plane crash-landed in Pennsylvania, killing everyone aboard while possibly saving the lives of thousands.

"There is a national memorial built in honor of those 40 people called the 'Tower of Voices,' and it includes 40 windchimes installed permanently in the tower, and that is why we will be giving away the windchimes. The donors will honor a life by saving a life with a blood donation and receive a remembrance windchime for those 40 lives," Lusk said.

Local organizations invite the Amarillo Community to honor and remember the lives of those list during the 9/11 terrorist attacks with several remembrance ceremonies and activities throughout the weekend.
Local organizations invite the Amarillo Community to honor and remember the lives of those list during the 9/11 terrorist attacks with several remembrance ceremonies and activities throughout the weekend.

In addition to the remembrance blood donations, there will also be a resource fair in the parking lot including several local organizations such as High Plains Food Bank, CASA, United Way, and many more. Food trucks will also be present both days.

Walk-in blood donations are welcome, but individuals are encouraged to make an appointment online.

Friday donation times can be scheduled online at https://www.yourbloodinstitute.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/402647

Monday blood donations can be scheduled online at https://www.yourbloodinstitute.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/402565 .

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo community invited to remember, honor lives lost during 9/11