Event Remembers 9-11, Honors First Responders In Newtown

NEWTOWN BOROUGH, PA — Newtown came together at Pickering Field on Friday to mark the 21st anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks and to honor its first responders.

The remembrance was organized by Newtown Borough Mayor John Burke who was in New York City 21 years ago and wanted to commemorate the milestone and recognize the community’s first responders.

“I was there that day. I was in Manhattan. And I don’t say that just for the sake of saying it. I feel it’s an obligation that I never forget and I carry that forward,” Burke told the gathering. “And I believe you are all here on this beautiful Friday evening also to never forget.

“Tonight is about remembering those that we lost, thanking our first responders who protect us everyday and taking what was a tragedy and making it into a positive by helping people who are in need today,” said the mayor.

The evening began with the the Pledge of Allegiance led by Eric Johnson, the National Anthem and a musket salute by re-enactors from Crossing Community Church.

“On that day - Sept. 11 - evil raised its ugly head because it didn’t like our way of life,” said Rotarian Paul Salvatore. “It didn’t like freedom. It didn’t like the way we lived. It didn’t like our communities. And it tried to destroy that. And by trying to destroy it it made us stronger.”

Paraphrasing the words of President John F. Kennedy, Salvatore challenged everyone in attendance, “Don’t ask what your community can do for you, ask what you can do for your community.

“Think of ways you can give back and make your community stronger,” he said. “We can’t let people divide us. We have more in common than we have differences. And by volunteering you will discover people you have never met before. They may have an R or a D after their name, but that doesn’t matter when you’re in a group like the Rotary Club or the Lions. It’s about giving back.”

Pastor Tim Smith from the Crossing Community Church offered an invocation remembering those who died at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and aboard United Airlines Flight 93 and the courageous men and women who risked their lives to protect and save lives that day.

"The circumstances that we remember today are not something we want to remember or relive. The pain and the sorrow connected to 9-11 is the kind we want to forget," he said. "But to forget the pain and sorrow of that day would be to forget the names of the innocent victims as well as the courage and the sacrifice of those who stepped in harm’s way to rescue those same victims.

“Today, in this solemn moment, we pause and reflect, we revisit the loss and the sadness of that day in order to remember those who we lost,” Smith continued. “September 11th forces us to experience the fresh heartbreak and the grief of those that we lost and those who we will never forget.”

Following the invocation, Newtown Borough Police Corporal James Warunek, Newtown Ambulance Battalion Chief Kevin Gordon and Newtown Fire Association member Bill Wise joined Burke on stage to remember the 18 Bucks County residents who died on 9-11.

As a bell tolled, the three first responders read names of the 18 from Bucks County who died in the attacks at the World Trade Center and aboard Flight 93.

The names will forever be remembered and linked to the tragedy of that day. Two of them were aboard Flight 93 that crashed in western Pennsylvania after passengers fought back against the terrorists who had hijacked the plane. Sixteen were at work at the World Trade Center when the
unthinkable happened.

“They got up, went to work and never came home,” said Salvatore. “We also thank our first responders who we know will rush into a building if we need them.”

Newtown Emergency Services Chief Glenn Forsyth took a moment to remember one of its own heroes who passed away on July 29.

“Dave Pannepacker gave 65 years of his life to the department, serving as president, vice president, secretary, trustee and many other jobs. He devoted his life to Newtown,” said Forsyth.

Burke then joined committee members Bernie Sauer and Paul Salvatore, representing the Newtown Rotary Club, in presenting a check for $10,700 to District Judge and Council Rock Shop With a Cop co-founder Mick Petrucci from donations, sponsorships and the sale of luminary kits.

“I had the opportunity to participate with the Shop With A Cop program at Target in December. And I got to walk with children and see their faces. It was amazing,” said Burke. “It makes a huge impact. And these kids are selfless. They want to know what they can buy for everyone else but themselves. It really is amazing. And so is this community for what it has done for these kids. I want to thank all of you because you really do make a difference.”

In the weeks leading up to the Sept. 9th event, Burke and a crew of volunteers sold luminary kits in support of Shop With A Cop and with the idea of lining the sidewalks in Newtown Borough in honor of the community’s first responders.

“Five years ago we had the idea of helping underprivileged children within the community,” said Petrucci. “Our first year was fantastic and we haven’t looked back. We helped more than 500 children from the Council Rock and Neshaminy school districts last year. We are very excited to bring those smiles to many more children and their families. This year it’s going to be bigger and better.”

The check, said Burke, represented a lot of sand bags, but also a lot of individual donations, including a $5,000 gift from the Gene and Marlene Epstein Humanitarian Foundation.

The ceremony concluded peacefully with a bagpiper playing music and Newtown firefighters Deputy Chief 45 Liz Ellis and trustee Joe Martindell lighting a pair of twin candles in memory of the first responders who rushed into the towers to save lives, but never went home.