Newtown Mayor Launches 9-11 Luminary Sale To Benefit Shop With A Cop

NEWTOWN BOROUGH, PA — Newtown Borough Mayor John Burke is hoping to bathe the town
in candlelight on the 22nd anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in New York City, western Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.

Between now and the anniversary, Burke will be selling pre-packaged luminary kits at the Newtown Hardware House and is encouraging everyone in the community to line their sidewalks and driveways with the flickering candles on September 11th in memory of the 2,977 people who were lost that day, including 19 from Bucks County.

Burke, assisted by family members, friends and members of the Newtown Rotary Club met at the garage behind the Hardware House this past week to begin assembling the luminary kits, which will be sold exclusively through the Hardware House on South State Street.

The proceeds from the sale of the kits will benefit the Newtown Area’s Shop With A Cop program which pairs cops with children facing difficult times in a pre-holiday shopping spree.

Through the program, each child is given $200 to purchase gifts for themselves and their family members. The kids are then joined on a holiday shopping spree by police officers from three municipalities - Newtown Township, Newtown Borough and Upper Makefield.

Mayor John Burke fills bags with sand. (Photo by Jeff Werner)

Mayor John Burke is joined by family members at the luminary-making session.

The magic that unfolds in the aisles and checkout lines at the Target store is priceless, not just for the child but also for the cops who get to be part of something really special.

For the past few years, Burke has also organized a salute to first responders at Pickering Field to commemorate the 9-11 anniversary. This year, however, due to a conflict with a fire company fundraiser, he won’t be holding the event, but he’s still encouraging the community to take part in the luminary event.

“It will be nice and peaceful and kind of ground people with everything going on in the world,” said Burke.

Luminary kits are available for purchase at the Newtown Hardware House for $20 each. The kits include 12 bags, 12 candles and sand. Bags should be placed outside and lit on the evening of Monday, Sept. 11.

Burke, who is originally from Long Island, said he was motivated to organize the remembrance by his own personnel connections to Sept. 11, 2001.

Twenty-two years ago, Burke was in New York City when the unthinkable happened.

While he was doing a preceptorship at Mount Sinai Hospital in uptown, two jets were hijacked and flown into the towers of the World Trade Center in the lower end of Manhattan.

“I came out of the elevator (at Mount Sinai) and it was complete chaos at 9:15 in the morning” just moments after the planes struck the towers, he said. “People were running around. And we didn’t know what was happening.”

Burke and his crew had to walk 40 blocks back to their hotel in Midtown. “The trains were stopped and you couldn’t get on anything.

“As we walked all you could see is the billowing black smoke coming out of the towers,” said Burke. “It was very scary. It was very surreal. And we were freaking out. There were jets flying over. We didn’t know what was next,” he said.

“There was no communication. Cell phones weren’t working. It was complete chaos,” he said.

Burke ended up being struck in the city for the next two days. “All we had was the TV and alcohol,” he said.

Burke’s father, “Jack,” had also helped build the towers in the early 70s as a New York City iron worker with Local 580, which adds another layer to his personal connection to that day.

And one of Burke’s friends, a former iron worker who became a New York City firefighter, also lost his life on September 11th, 2001 in the collapse of the towers.

“I’d like everyone to take a brief moment this year to remember all those people who ran into the buildings as others were running out,” said Burke.

“It takes a special person to take an oath to serve and protect someone else,” said Burke. “Whether you’re a doctor, a nurse, a firefighter, a police officer, you’re saying that someone else’s life is more important than yours and even though I don’t know you I’m going to help you. That’s a special person.

“I know at Christmastime everyone lights up their streets (with luminaries) and it looks beautiful,” said Burke. “So I’m hoping September 11th will be another beautiful evening in the community and everything will be lit up. It’s for a good cause and we can remember those who gave their lives and celebrate those who protect and serve.”

Members of the Newtown Rotary Club help assemble the luminary kits.