2011 In Review - September

In this final week of 2011, Enfield Patch is looking back at the stories that were read most often during the year. Twice a day through Saturday, we are re-publishing the top story of each month, plus including links to the next three most-read news stories, a sports story and a feature piece.

We continue the retrospective with an article from Sept. 12:

By 

Hundreds and hundreds of Enfield residents turned out on a beautiful morning Sunday to participate in the town's annual 9/11 Memorial Tribute.

This year's event had a different feel, as a pair of steel beams from the World Trade were unveiled as part of the 9/11 Memorial Garden on the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks on America.

The morning began with a parade from the East Windsor border down Steel Road and Weymouth Road to the Enfield Fire Station No. 2, site of the 9/11 Memorial Garden. Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman and U.S. Rep Joe Courtney joined numerous local dignitaries in the 1.5 mile walk.

At the garden, a fire siren sounded at 9:59 a.m., the time the South Tower fell, and again at 10:28 a.m., when the North Tower crumbled to the ground.

A memorial wreath was placed in the garden by members of Riley's School of Dance, which spearheaded the town's 9/11 commemorative efforts from day one. The Dave O'Hagan Band performed "When Heroes Climbed the Sky," written by O'Hagan the evening of the 9/11 attacks. ("I will always remember/The men who gave their lives/On a Tuesday in September/When heroes climbed the sky.")

"I got choked up listening to the lyrics of that song," said Deputy Fire Chief Paul Januszewski, who served as master of ceremonies for the memorial. "This event brings home what we as a people have been through, and how we've come together."

"I am always amazed how Enfield turns out to pay tribute to our fallen heroes," Mayor Scott Kaupin said. "The support here over the years for the garden, and the turnout today - God bless Enfield, Connecticut."

One of the most dramatic moments of the ceremony was the unveiling of the World Trade Center beams. The 18-foot-long pieces of the north face of the North Tower are mounted on columns at a 45-degree angle.

"To me, the beams are pointing upwards towards the fallen angels," state Rep. Kathy Tallarita said.

State Sen. John Kissel said he was thankful that the story of 9/11 is part of his son's ninth grade history curriculum at Enfield High School. Looking at the positioning of the beams, he remarked, "They could be falling or they could be rising. Ten years ago they fell, but now, they are clearly rising."

Retired Glastonbury Fire Chief Ron Squiers, a native New Yorker who served 27 years with the fire department in Enfield, asked audience members to touch the beams before they left, out of respect for all who died there.

Marine Lance Cpl. Conor Beck, who recently returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan, said he has been a member of the Shaker Pines Fire Department since he was 14 years old. "The fire department always comes first for me," he said. "When Chief Squiers spoke about the beams, I realized it means a lot more to Enfield residents than just two pieces of metal."

Courtney summed up the town's outpouring of support with just three words - "Enfield gets it!"

Check out Meghan Moore's video of the 9/11 ceremony, and Rich Tanguay's photo presentation of the event on Enfield Patch.

Other Top Stories in September

News

Sports

Feature

At noon Friday, check out the top stories from October.