9/11 observed on Lake Marble Falls
GLYNIS CRAWFORD SMITH/THE HIGHLANDER
At the 15th Annual 9/11 Day of Remembrance Ceremony, held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11, at the Marble Falls Lakeside Park, members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10376 post the colors.
BY GLYNIS CRAWFORD SMITH
THE HIGHLANDER
The 15th Annual 9/11 Day of Remembrance Ceremony of the Rotary Club of Marble Falls was held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11, at Lakeside Park.
Mayor John Packer read the proclamation that followed the national designation of the day as Patriots Day and Burnet County Judge James Oakley, a proclamation of the State of Texas designation of 9/11 as First Responders Day. Members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10376 posted the colors and, as the flag was lowered to half staff, Marble Falls Fire Chief Russell Sander performed the 200-year-old "Ringing of the Bell" ceremony--three times repeating the sounding of a bell three times for fallen firefighters.
Rotarian Lorinda Peters performed a bagpipe rendition of "Amazing Grace" and "Taps" was played on trumpet by Marble Falls High School Student Rebecca Faehnle.Mike McKeown led patriotic songs and Four Marble Falls High School students performed a dramatic reading memorializing the victims and families of 9/11 and first responders.
Steve Hurst, Rotary community service chairman, called on those present and all who could not attend to pause for a moment to honor those same citizens and the Rev. Ellen Ely, senior pastor of First United Methodist Church of Marble Falls and a Rotarian led those assembled on the shore of Lake Marble Falls in prayer.
Hurst recognized the members of all the law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services in the county and quoted from the Alan W. Jankowski poem "We Shall Never Forget":
"Let the world always remember, that fateful day in September, and the ones who answered duty's call."
