Roosevelt Island Community Remembers The 9/11 Attacks On World Trade Center With Memorial Service This Saturday & Assembling The Tribute In Lights

Images of Roosevelt Island's Remembrance Garden

I received the following message from Sherrie Helstein who is organizing the Roosevelt Island 9/11 Memorial Service on behalf of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA):

Saturday, September 11, 2010
Memorial Service on Roosevelt Island
Sponsored by
Roosevelt Island Residents Association
Sunset Service Commencing Promptly at 6:45 p.m.
At the 9/11 Remembrance Garden
Behind the Chapel of the Good Shepherd

Please plan to join your neighbors
and
Please bring your own candle!

Ms Helstein writes:

The program will consist of what is below as far as I am aware at this time. [revised as of 6 PM]

1. Frank Farance – Introductions and welcome to residents and guests

2. We do not have our “usual” visitors from Oklahoma this year, survivors and family of those survivors from the Murrah office building bombing. They had other commitments this year.

3. Laura Stelman Jaeger and Sherie Helstien will sing “Will You Build Me a House” from Peter Pan, with Craig Crabtree accompanying.

4. Linda Heimer will offer some thoughts.

5. Laura Stelman and Gabriela will sing “Make My Garden Grow” from “Candide” with Craig Crabtree accompanying.

6.Matthew Katz will sing and play guitar with residents joining in: “Blowin’ in the Wind”.

7. Open the mike to others who might want to speak…

8. At 7:20 or 7:25 we conclude our remembrance and light candles and walk quietly to the promenade…

(Don’t forget to remind everyone on your blog about the Gallery RIVAA opening that evening too.)

RIRA Planning Committee Chairperson Mathew Katz adds:

RIRA has sponsored this program ever since we produced the memorial plot, including the plaque, tree, plantings and bench, the following year. Again, we are asking Islanders to bring their own candles. We understand that the Oklahoma City survivors, who have joined us in previous years, are unable to be with us this year. However, we have invited representatives from the Special Ops firehouse, some of whose fallen leaders are commemorated on the plaque, to join us. In addition, we have asked several of our Muslim neighbors, leaders of their community, to be with us as well. We understand that the RIVAA Gallery has an opening scheduled for the same evening, and we urge our neighbors to attend after our short program ends.

Here's a brief background on the Roosevelt Island 9/11 Memorial Service which started in 2002 from a previous post last year:

Image From Main Street WIRE by Vicki Feinmel/Linda Heimer

To this day, the picture above taken from Roosevelt Island is still so shocking. Smoke pouring out behind the 59th Street Bridge from lower Manhattan as the World Trade Center was attacked and burned on what began as a beautiful September New York morning and soon became what is now known as just 9/11.

Image From Main Street WIRE by Vicki Feinmel/Linda Heimer

... The Main Street WIRE reported on the Memorial's April 2002 dedication ceremony:

...The cherry tree, planted a month after the tragedy, is surrounded by flowers, most planted by members of the Residents Association a few days before the dedication. A single wood bench faces the tree and plaque. Vicki Feinmel, the member of the Residents Association Common Council who organized the memorial and the event, said, “Everyone wanted to do something meaningful and have something permanent on the Island to honor the people we lost from the Island....

the plaque that honors those Roosevelt Islanders who died in the terrorist attack:

Ed Beyea, Anthony J. Fallone, Taimour Khan, Scott Larsen, and Kevin J. Smith – as well as firefighters who were based on Roosevelt Island – Deputy Chief Ray Downey, Deputy Chief Charlie Kasper, Battalion Chief John Moran, and Battalion Chief John Paolillo.

Image From Roosevelt Island 360

and what it was like to live on Roosevelt Island during and immediately after the attacks.

The September 11 Tribute In Lights will also shine on Saturday night. I think it is the most moving and appropriate Memorial to the events of 9/11/01. Here's how it is done.

You Tube Video of Assembling The Tribute In Lights