9/9 – Middletown to Pay Tribute to Sept. 11 Victims

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MIDDLETOWN – Members of the Middletown Township Committee will pay a silent tribute to the 37 residents who died in the World Trade Center tragedy at 8:46 a.m. Wednesday, Sept, 11, with a wreath laying at the Middletown WTC Memorial Gardens.
The time of the event coincides with the start of the terrorist attacks 12 years ago when the first plane hit the towers.  Committee members will be joined by representatives of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2179, American Legion Post 338 and American Legion Post 515.
“The silent memorial is a fitting tribute to those fellow Americans we lost on that fateful day 12 years ago. It is imperative that we continue to mark this day now and in the future to ensure that we remain ever vigilant against the evil that took these lives so senselessly,” Mayor Gerard P. Scharfenberger said.
Visitors are welcome at the Middletown WTC Memorial Gardens from dawn to dusk.
An American flag, flown over the World Trade Center on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, will fly at the Memorial Gardens during the ceremony. In addition, an American Flag flown over the United States Capitol in memory of these Middletown residents will fly at Town Hall.
The Memorial Gardens rest under a canopy of trees and features a landscaped path with benches and a personalized memorial for each of the 37 residents. The gardens are located next to the Middletown Arts Center at 36 Church St. The gardens are open to the public daily.
Flag banners have been installed as a tribute to the Sept. 11 victims. The flag banners are hanging on telephone poles along Kings Highway, Church Street and Middletown-Lincroft Road.
The banners are sponsored by local businesses, organizations and individuals. The flag banner display became part of the township’s annual 9/11 commemoration in 2011. The project was spearheaded by Township Committeeman Anthony P. Fiore, who served as mayor in 2011 and 2012.
In addition, a cablecast of Middletown’s memorial service held on the 10th anniversary of the World Trade Center Tragedy will air on the township’s cable channel through Sept. 11. Residents can view the channel on Comcast Channel 20 and Verizon FiOS Channel 26.
The Memorial Gardens were developed by the Middletown WTC Memorial Committee, a non-profit group consisting of family members and interested residents. The Memorial Gardens were opened to the public on Sept. 11, 2003. Construction of the memorial was made possible largely through donations.
The Memorial Gardens continue to be maintained by the Middletown WTC Memorial Committee in partnership with Middletown Township.
Donations for the perpetual maintenance of the gardens are welcome and appreciated. Donations can be sent to: Middletown WTC Memorial Gardens, c/o Mayor’s Office, Middletown Township, 1 Kings Highway, Middletown, NJ 07748.