[Speaker 3] (0:02 - 1:14)
Seems like an eternity. So this day we gather, this day we remember, and this day we give thanks as we honor the lives of the men and women who on that day suffered. And the families of the men and women who suffered.

So this day may we, with clear eyes and brighter vision, truly begin to see and understand who we are as a people. That day brought us together. These days bring us together.

It's a day we will never forget. It is a day we must always remember. For yes, what we have lost, but also what is possible that we have gained through that, and for those who have served and continue to serve, they make what we share in freedom and democracy possible.

In this day we honor them, we give thanks to them, and we celebrate them.

[Speaker 4] (1:26 - 2:47)
The fire service uses the bell system to communicate various messages. Signal 555 is used to signify the death of a firefighter in the line of duty. We will now signal, we will now sound signal 555.

If we could observe one moment of silence. I'd now like to introduce our town administrator, Sean Fitzgerald, to give us some of his remarks.

[Speaker 1] (2:54 - 8:42)
Well, I want to welcome everybody to Swanskip Town Hall. Today, you know, we are here to really recognize the heroic service of members of our police department, firefighters, and EMS who died on 9-11. We know that we have a growing number of individuals that have succumbed to suffering related to 9-11, and it's important that we gather as a community.

We also need to remember Swanskip's families who lost loved ones on 9-11. Robert Jalbert, who was aboard United Airlines Flight 175 that was hijacked and crashed into the South Tower. Marine Corps Captain Jennifer Harris, who died in Iraq, and her dad Ray is here as he is on every occasion where we can think about those that have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Army Specialist Raymond Hammond, who, Jared Raymond, who died in Iraq, and Jacqueline Raymond is here as well. And retired Army Specialist Justin Morse. Journalist Michael Kelly also died while covering for the Atlantic Monthly on the war in Iraq, war and terror in Iraq.

But what's important is that 9-11 really stands as a day where we can remember how we came together as a nation. It stands in contrast to, you know, the vitriol that we, I think, have heard over the last few years, but this sense that we are all together as a community, that we share common values and civil liberties. We have an extraordinary nation and we have an extraordinary commitment to preserve and to uphold the values of our great nation.

Reverend Templeman, I really appreciate your heartfelt thoughts about family. My son, Miles, came home yesterday from school and he said that, you know, for the first time he watched a video on 9-11 and it was emotionally just really impactful. Many of our families have children that don't remember or have not been told about 9-11, but this event has such an important lesson for us as a democracy.

We must never forget that what we have here is precious. The community and the families that we hold dear are precious and we have to protect and preserve all that we hold dear as a democracy. So with that, I have a proclamation issued by Governor Baker that I've been asked to read and it starts, Whereas September 11th marks the 20th anniversary of the attacks on American institutions such as the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and whereas on this day in 2001, 2,977 people lost their lives as a result of these acts of terrorism, and whereas countless first responders put their lives on the line to save victims of the attack at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and whereas the Commonwealth honors the hundreds of first responders who sacrificed their lives that day, and whereas the Commonwealth recognizes the extraordinary acts of heroism demonstrated by the citizens and first responders who stepped up to help one another on September 11th, 2001, and whereas in the days following September 11th, Americans came together in a spirit of patriotism, unity, and resolve to honor those lost, and whereas Massachusetts lost 206 residents in these attacks and all members of the Commonwealth continue to grieve alongside those families who suffered tremendously in its aftermath, and whereas the devastation that was felt in the aftermath of this tragedy will never be erased, but in honoring the memory of all those that lost their lives, we remain united and will never forget the events of that day.

Now, therefore, I, Charles D. Baker, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, do hereby proclaim September 11th, 2001 to be 9-11 Remembrance Day in order to all citizens of the Commonwealth to take cognizance of the event and particularly fitting in its observance given by His Excellency this 11th day of September in the year 2021. I really want to thank everybody who took the time on this beautiful day to spend a minute with each other as a community and think about everything that we hold dear.

I really want to thank you for making this a priority. And with that, I'd like to recognize our former Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Francisco Urena, to come up and say a few words. Francisco served in Iraq and received a Purple Heart, and is a reflection of a generation of Americans who have nobly served our country in the war on terror.

[Speaker 2] (8:47 - 12:57)
Thank you, Administrator Fitzgerald, to the members of the Select Board, ladies and gentlemen, to our first responders, the Reverend Clergy, and to the residents of this beautiful town here in the North Shore of Swansea. Thank you so very much for the opportunity to join you all, but thank you for the opportunity that you continue to provide to be present. You know, if you are of a certain age, I would like to say 26, you probably remember where you were 20 years ago, a day that is inscribed in our memories of where we were, but more importantly to me, I remember what we did that week following, how united we were as communities.

American flags went in shortage because patriots were trying to find a way to show their patriotism, that bond to their memories, the memories that we didn't really know how many were lost. The nearly now we know, nearly 3,000. But what we do know is that first responders, firefighters, police officers, EMTs rushed to the scenes.

When everybody else was evacuating, it is credited that those men and women of both New York, Pennsylvania and the Pentagon, specifically the Pentagon and in New York, saved thousands of lives by their actions, by their efforts and by their focus. And it's important that we remember that these men and women are standing in harm's, potential harm's way each and every day, just as much as that crew who was relieved on September 10th that night before and took duty for what, if you look at the skies today, a very similar, very similar day 20 years ago. It is important for those who were not present, who were not alive then 20 years ago.

It is important that we share those lessons. We talk about what our communities can be all about and the unity of remembering and let us never forget their sacrifice to the parents who brought their Children here. Thank you for setting that example.

Thank you for setting that focus. It is how we continue to build community in remembering those who are no longer among us. And as we remember what happened after September 11th, the war on terror in both Afghanistan and Iraq and some other places that have taken a toll of over 7000 men and women.

And unlike the victims of 9 11, those men and women signed up, volunteered to serve, defend the Constitution and pay the ultimate sacrifice if it need to be. Today I have the distinct honor. I'm going to be leading here shortly as we welcome back possibly what I like to think of the last casualty in Afghanistan.

A young Marine sergeant from the Commonwealth, from the city of Lawrence, who was five years old 20 years ago. Her name, Sergeant Johnny Rosario Pichardo. Sergeant Johnny Pichardo returns to Boston at noon and there'll be a sea of patriotism as we lead and remember.

But essentially, as we remember what happened 20 years ago and what continues to happen 20 years later, it's all that sense of connection to one another. But let us stay. Let us focus.

Let us forget the division that sometimes it brought up among us. Let us find ways to think of how we could improve our communities, how we could improve our lives of neighbors, and more importantly, how we could live our lives worthy of their sacrifice. May God bless each and every one of you all this beautiful town and the United States of America.

May those troops who are serving overseas return home safely to the communities are waiting for them. Thank you very much.

[Speaker 4] (13:12 - 15:07)
Here we are, almost a generation removed from that terrible, fateful day. 20 times we have gathered in remembrance. Each of us of a certain age can remember where we were as those images streamed across our screens, and we struggled to understand what we were seeing as our world was changed forever.

As we watched the horror unfold, few of us knew how profound that change would be. We would soon be engaged in the longest war in our nation's history. Security became an ever-present concern for all of us in a way few of us had thought of it previously.

We've learned to harden our buildings. We've drilled our schoolchildren in ways to respond to all types of threats. Air travel will never be the same again.

Our world will never be the same again. Yet here we stand, 20 years later, still coming together to remember the fallen, to honor the sacrifices made, and to support one another. I like to think that the lasting legacy of that day will be our continued commitment to service of all kinds.

I like to think that what we take away from our shared experience is a renewed spirit of sharing and cooperation. Today is a commemoration, and it is also a day of giving. Our Anchor Food Pantry is collecting food and personal items.

There's a goodwill collection boxes at the parking lot that are collecting clothing and household items. And already the outpouring has been more than we expected. It's been overwhelming already.

So this day of giving is something that we want to continue to do. There can be no final way to memorialize those who are no longer here with us. Thank you all for being here.

We'll now have a prayer from Reverend Templeman.

[Speaker 3] (15:14 - 17:00)
In closing, I'm reminded of that beautiful line in The Hobbit, where this small, small creature was in a mountain facing the worst terror of his life. He got out of that mountain, and he goes to the wizard Gandalf and tells him, I found something in the midst of that horror. The wizard asked him, What did you find?

He said, I found my courage. Let us pray. Loving and gracious God, help us to call up the courage that is within our hearts and our souls to find the honesty, the attention and the time to give thanks, to give honor and recognition to those who died on September 11th.

And in the years that followed, give courage to first responders, firefighters, police, those who serve in uniform in our military. Give courage to families who have grieved and who have lost. Give us courage to remember, to give thanks and to embody through that courage what it means to gently and lovingly forgive.

May your peace, may your blessing, may your strength be upon this gathering and this community this day and forevermore. Amen.

[Speaker 4] (17:17 - 18:18)
Before we conclude, we will once again sound signal 5555. This concludes our program today. Once again, thank you everyone for coming out.

There are refreshments on the tables under the tree. Please stay with us for a while and take some and get to know each other. Thank you.