Mineola Holds Annual 9/11 Memorial Service

A clear blue sky greeted the morning of September 11 nine years ago, a one eerily similar to that on Saturday morning, and a parallel Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, R- Bethpage, could not help but draw as he addressed a crowd at Memorial Park for Mineola's 9/11 memorial service.

"A beautiful September morning, birds chirping, skies not a cloud, (they) left their home, went to work, never to return," Mangano said of those who perished in the attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon and in Shanksville, PA. "It's important that we come together, we honor the memory of the 350 Nassau County residents that died that day; that were murdered that day."

Mangano and Mineola Mayor Jack Martins had earlier welcomed a local troop of boy and girl scouts who had brought with them a "Flag of Heroes" with the names of the almost 2,800 people killed in the attacks written on the stripes. Also in attendance at the ceremony were Mineola deputy mayor Lawrence Werther, Trustees Paul Cusato, Thomas Kennedy and Paul Pereira and New York State Assemblyman Tom McKevitt, R- East Meadow. "Those innocent people were executed that morning not because of anything else other than that they were American," Martins said. "They were Americans enjoying the fruits of their freedom and they were targeted because they were free."

"For as long as we live, because you are a part of us, we will remember you," Msgr. Robert Coyle of Corpus Christi R.C. Church said in an opening invocation.  As honorary fire chief Steven Scalara played taps Manny Grilo of the Mineola VFW and American Legion commander Sal Cataldo laid a wreath at the memorial site. The ribbon on the wreath read: "We shall never forget."

"We remember how we here in Mineola supported each other, how our community and our country came together as never before in a singular purpose and resolve," Martins said, calling upon residents to "renew our commitment" to their community, country and values.

Several fire engines lined the street in front of Memorial library, and almost the entire Mineola auxiliary police department was on hand for the ceremony in dress uniforms. "We rely on them each and every day and on September 11, 2001 we relied on them and the country relied on them in going into a burning building that had just been hit with 747's and they went in unflinchingly," Martins said of the first responders and fellow police and firefighters.

"It is important that we remember all those who left their homes - the safety of their homes - our firefighters, police, Port Authority, first responders, doctors, nurses, citizens, that came to the need of others," Mangano said.

"Today we complete a pledge to never forget," Fr. James Williams of Chaminade high school said. "We remember all those who taught us what it means to serve by going against the slow current and into the fire."

Scouts Glenn Peters and Kristin Valez were invited to light a "freedom torch" at the base of the memorial as firefighter Dennis Clark played "Amazing Grace" to conclude the ceremony.