Sept. 11 Services Slated

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By John Burton

Mementos left at the Monmouth County 9/11 Memorial last year.

Area towns and organ­iza­tions have scheduled observances of Sept. 11. This year marks the 11th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the crash of United Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pa.
Among ceremonies and remembrances scheduled in the area are:
 
In Middletown, a tribute to those township residents who perished that day, has been scheduled for 8:46 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11, at the township’s World Trade Center Memorial Gardens, 36 Church St.
The service is expected to include a wreath laying in honor of those who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks.
Middletown, the county’s largest municipality, saw 37 community members lose their lives that day. The township erected the gardens in honor of these residents. The location features a canopy of trees and a landscaped path with benches and personalized memorials to each of the victims.
The garden was constructed largely through donations and opened to the public on Sept. 11, 2003.
 
In Fair Haven, while the borough is not having a formal memorial service, Mayor Donald Burden and borough council members will place a floral arrangement at the 9/11 memorial in Memorial Park, River Road, across from borough hall.
Organizations are welcome to place similar tokens of remembrance. Borough officials request it be done prior to 8:45 a.m. Sept. 11.
The park’s flag will be lowered at that time, in recognition of the time the World Trade Center’s North Tower was struck. Commun­ity members are encouraged to take a moment of quiet reflection that day.
 
In Shrewsbury, the borough’s volunteer fire company will hold a memorial service at 7 p.m. at the gazebo memorial, located on the grounds of the borough’s municipal complex, 419 Sycamore Ave. Borough officials and emergency first responders will be on hand and the event is open to the public.
 
In Red Bank, the Red Bank Elks Lodge 233, 40 West Front St., is holding its traditional memorial service at the borough’s Riverside Gardens Park, next door to the lodge, starting at 6 p.m. The park is home to the borough’s monument and garden area, established to honor the borough residents who died on Sept. 11, 2001. The Elks, as they have done in the past, will host a light repast/reception following the service, at their lodge.
 
In Highlands, the borough has scheduled a memorial ceremony to begin at 6 p.m. at the borough’s Victory Park, Bay Avenue. Victory Park is the permanent home of the Memorial Project and its accompanying marble sculptures done by artist Stephen Shaheen, designed as a lasting tribute to the victims.
 
In Holmdel, the memorial ceremony is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Sept. 11 at the township’s memorial for the victims located in front of the municipal complex, 4 Craw­fords Corner Road. Mayor Patrick Impreveduto will preside over the ceremony, which is scheduled to feature an innovation from a local clergy member. As has been the Holmdel tradition, family members of the township’s 10 residents, who were killed on 9/11, will be asked to place roses at the memorial.