BUCHANAN AREA RESIDENTS AND DIGNITARIES GATHER TO REMEMBER SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

By DEBRA HAIGHT

BUCHANAN – As they’ve done every year, Buchanan residents gathered at the Common in downtown Buchanan to commemorate Patriot Day. This year’s service marked the 20^th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on America.

Rev. David Mitchell of Faith Victory Fellowship in Buchanan has organized each of the annual commemorations, including the one held the evening of Sept. 11, 2001 when people gathered to pray together. He’s also one of several area clergymen and law enforcement personnel who traveled to Ground Zero in the weeks and months after the attack.

“I couldn’t hardly believe that 20 years has passed,” he said. “We met here at the Common to pray that day … There are memorials to that day in communities across the country. We remember not the disaster but what came out of the disaster.”

“Oh my, how time has flown,” Buchanan Police Sgt. Harvey Burnett said. “At 8:46 a.m. that day America would forever change. Do you remember where you were, what you did and how you felt when the world changed? I certainly do, I will never forget. We gathered that day to reflect and remember the lives lost. Perhaps the most important outcome of the painful tragedy was people joining together.”

Saturday evening’s observance brought dozens of people to the Common including area dignitaries, first responders and members of two local motorcycle groups, the River Bend Riders and the AmVet Riders.

Fire departments represented were those of the cities of Buchanan and Niles and Bertrand and Buchanan Townships. Police agencies in attendance were the Buchanan Police Department, the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department and the Michigan State Police.

Buchanan Mayor Sean Denison thanked Mitchell and others who have faithfully held the Patriot Day service every year including the evening of the attacks in 2001. “I would like to thank everyone involved for continuing the tradition and upholding the promise to never forget,” he said.

“If someone asked me to remember what the weather was a particular day 20 years ago, I’d say they were crazy, but we can all remember that day,” he said. “That day taught us how quickly and permanently lives can change. We need to cherish every moment we have.”

“Secondly, that day taught us that there is still good that happens in the midst of unspeakable tragedy,” he added. “We saw average citizens carrying strangers to safety, people offering water to first responders. We set aside differences and stood united.”

Mary Judnich read a statement from Sen. Debbie Stabenow who recalled how Senators and Congressional representatives of both parties gathered on the steps of the Capitol on the evening of Sept. 11, 2001 to sing “God Bless America.”

Berrien County Undersheriff Chuck Heit asked people to remember everyone who died that day, especially the first responders. “We come before you with heavy hearts and multiple emotions,” he said. “We mourn the 3,000 who died and we’re humbled by the bravery of the first responders who ran to the danger, they knew what they were doing was extremely dangerous.”

“Each of us can remember what we were doing that day,” he added. “Those events brought us together and as President George W. Bush said today in Pennsylvania, the actions of the enemy that day revealed the spirit of our people.”

Berrien County Board Chairman and Buchanan resident McKinley Elliott said this 20 year anniversary seemed even

more poignant with the recent events in Afghanistan and the murder of 13 U.S. servicemen.

“We all remember where we were when the attacks occurred,” he added. “It became a day that was burned into our hearts and minds forever. Unlike Pearl Harbor, the images of the towers being hit were beamed all over the world … We couldn’t begin to grasp the horrors of what happened.”

Elliott noted that God comforts us in times of trouble and spoke of the need for a spiritual renewal in the country. “The events of Sept. 11, 2001 remind us of the uncertainty and brevity of life,” he said. “Those going into the World Trade Center and on those planes that day didn’t know that would be their last day of life. We can never surrender and never forget.”