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Many remember where they were when President Kennedy was shot or the excitement they felt when man first landed on the moon, just as most remember how the events of Sept. 11, 2001 reshaped the American consciousness. In honor of the tenth anniversary of the tragedy, Exchange Club of the San Ramon Valley held a remembrance ceremony and picnic at Oak Hill Park’s All Wars Memorial.
This year’s program featured hundreds of Boy Scouts with an array of American Flags, a joint police and fire department honor guard with fife and drum corps, a bagpiper and patriotic music from Monte Vista High graduate George Komsky. The Sept. 11 ceremony will also feature several prominent guest speakers, including Rear Admiral Winston Copeland, also known as Mad Dog Copeland.
“He was the last pilot to shoot down a helicopter in Vietnam, he trained 300 squadrons of naval pilots in subsequent wars,” said Danville Mayor Karen Stepper. “The reason I think that’s so pertinent is we’re talking about pilots and talking about planes flying into buildings.”
Joe Discuglia, a Danville resident who was at ground zero on Sept. 11, shared his experiences with the dozens of residents in attendence. Discuglia was staying at the Marriott hotel attached to the World Trade Center towers, the site where more than 50 firefighters lost their lives.
“At the end we will have the laying of the wreath by our first responders, the firefighters and police. We get a large flower wreath and have those people walk it in and leave it there that night in memory of all the fallen from 9/11,” Stepper said last week.
After a flight of doves was released, attendees enjoyed a free “all-American” picnic of hot dogs and ice cream.
“We’re hoping it’ll be a family community event whether it’s a family of one or a family of five,” Stepper added.
Danville-based Mashal, an organization dedicated to the welfare of Pakistanis, will sponsor a “Walk to Support our Fallen Heroes” on Saturday, Sept. 24 in San Ramon’s Central Park. The event will feature firefighting demonstrations as well as first responder cars and trucks on display.
Each family’s $100 donation will go toward the 100 Club of Contra Costa County, which helps families of fallen police officers and firefighters. For more information, visit [http:// www.mymashal.org www.mymashal.org].
