Villages of Homer & McGraw Hold 9/11 Ceremonies Thursday Evening

Yesterday evening, the villages of Homer and McGraw both held their 9/11 Remembrance Ceremonies. The Village of Homer held theirs at the 9/11 Memorial in front of the Recreation Building on South Main Street at 6pm.

Homer’s ceremony paid tribute to all the victims of 9/11 and those who have died since from 9/11 related illnesses. Hosting the ceremony was Vice President of the Homer Fire Department, Doug Van Etten.

“We come together today to remember far too many people [who] paid the ultimate sacrifice. Either on September 11th or in the days, years, and now decades that have followed.” Van Etten said.

2,296 people died on September 11th, 2001, Van Etten said. Highlighting out of that major loss of life, 2,763 at the World Trade Center with 343 being members of the FDNY, 23 members of the NYPD, 37 NY/NJ Port Authority Police Officers. He went on to add 189 died at the Pentagon, and 44 on United Flight 93 which crashed in a field in Shanksville Pennsylvania.

Guest speaker this year for the Village of Homer was past Assistant Chief for the Homer Fire Department and member for over 45 years, Michael Keegan. Keegan spoke on the day, now 24 years ago, of how he was working with the Groton Police Department, and being told after the attack by his sergeant, to pack 3 days worth of clothes to head down and assist in recovery. He added he was told to never tell anyone where he went and what he did and saw.

“The events of 9/11 that day that I became involved in, I will never forget.” Keegan said. “I will never forget that date.”

Keegan went on to pay special tribute to the flight crew and passengers of United Flight 93. Calling them heroes for their actions and personal sacrifice that day. He then read the names of the flight crew and passengers of United 93. He highlighted in his speech, Shanksville Pennsylvania is similar to the Village of Homer, a small rural village. First responders to the scene in Shanksville were made up by about 1,000 volunteers, again similar to Homer having volunteer first responders. Keegan stressed the importance it is for volunteers, who that day, stopped what they were doing and responded to the crash site.

Following Keegan’s speech, audio clips of three passengers and one flight attendant on United 93 were aired during the ceremony followed by an interview with Lisa Jefferson who spoke with passenger Todd Beamer, who she says led his fellow passengers to rise up against the hijackers to take back the plane and Todd’s comment prior to their effort to take back the plane, “Lets Roll.”

The Village of McGraw held their ceremony on the Village Green. Guest speakers included Cortland County Sheriff, Mark Helms, Road Patrol Lieutenant John Gallagher, and Chair of the Cortland County Legislature, Kevin Fitch. This is now the second year the Village of McGraw has held their 9/11 Ceremony.