September 7, 2011
The Arlington Times • The Marysville Globe
Local events commemorate 9/11
Marysville firefighters, Arlington remembers police honor the fallen with several activities
MARYSVILLE — Marysville firefighters and police officers will be honoring the 10-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, as well as the loss of one of their own, on Sept. 11 of this year. On Sept. 11, 2001, not only were thousands of lives lost in the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and Flight 93, including those of 343 New York firefighters and 72 law enforcement officers, but the Marysville Fire District also lost Lt. Jeff Thornton, who passed away that same day after his battle with cancer. Members of the Marysville Fire District’s Honor Guard will conduct a ceremony at the Police and Firefighters Memorial outside of the Marysville Public Library, located at 6120 Grove St., starting at 8:30 a.m. This event has taken place every year since 2001.
“This annual ceremony helps us all remember and pay tribute to those who died, as we also remember the loss of one of our own on that very same day.”
Chief Greg Corn, Marysville Fire District This year’s program will build on those past ceremonies, with activities set to include an invocation, an address from Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring, the ringing of the bell in honor of those whose lives were lost, and doves being released to music. “This annual ceremony helps us all remember and pay tribute to those who died, as we also remember the loss of one of our own on that very same day,” Marysville Fire Chief Greg Corn said. “As we look back on the events that took place 10 years ago, we have a
responsibility to those who gave their lives and those who continue to fight and sacrifice for our freedom and security. Marysville is a community that will never forget.” Also on Sept. 11, Marysville Fire District Capt. Keith Taylor will be singing the national anthem at Safeco Field for the Mariners game. A special tribute to Thornton is likewise set to kick off at 3 p.m. that day at Husky Ball Park, on Montlake Boulevard just north of the Hec Edmundson Pavilion & Intramural Center.
Local businesses offer events to remember 9/11 BY KIRK BOXLEITNER kboxleitner@marysvilleglobe.com
SMOKEY POINT — In addition to their own respective commemorations, the Arlington and Marysville communities will be coming together during the week of Sept. 11 to honor the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Weller Funeral Home in Arlington and SchaeferShipman Funeral Home in Marysville will both be showing free pre-theatrical screenings of “Rebirth,” a 104-minute-long documentary film that follows the progress of five families impacted by 9/11 over the course of the past decade. Weller will be showing “Rebirth on Sept. 10 at 3 p.m. and Sept. 11 at 1 p.m., while Schaefer-Shipman will be showing the film on Sept. 8 at 10 a.m., Sept. 9 at 7 p.m., Sept. 10 at noon and Sept. 11 at 3 p.m. “This film shows how this tragedy changed the lives of both the survivors and
the families of those who experienced it,” said Mary Jane Harmon, a spokesperson for both funeral homes. “It includes the cleanup, the rebuilding and the memorial to the fallen.” Harmon explained that Weller and SchaeferShipman are both part of the Dignity Memorial network, which dealt with the filmmakers, and that this is how the two funeral homes are able to show this film before it’s released in theaters. “We’ll have an online guestbook for people to write to the 9/11 families,” Harmon said. “Arlington’s police chief might also be attending, but we can’t confirm which day yet.” Weller Funeral Home is located at 327 N. Macleod Ave. in Arlington. You can call them at 360-435-2509 or log onto their website at www.wellerfh.com. Schaefer-Shipman Funeral Home is located at 804 State Ave. in Marysville. You can call them at 360-659-3711
or log onto their website at www.schaefershipmanfuneral.com. Sept. 11 will also mark the start of what organizers hope will be an annual “9/11 Patriot Ride” from Sound Harley-Davidson in Smokey Point, supported by the Puget Sound Chapter of the Harley Owners Group. Participants are asked to arrive between 9:15-9:45 a.m. to sign the mandatory waiver to take part in the ride, which will depart from Sound Harley at 10 a.m. and is expected to last two and a half hours. The route winds through Lake Stevens, Snohomish, Clearview and Everett, with a rest stop at the halfway point, before returning to Sound Harley for a barbecue. Although there is no registration fee, participants are asked to email Ron Wagner at rwagnerpshog@gmail. com to put their names on the list. Those with questions should email Evan Adolf at adolf7570@hotmail.com.
BY KIRK BOXLEITNER kboxleitner@marysvilleglobe.com
ARLINGTON — Those who plan on visiting downtown Arlington during the weekend of Sept. 10-11 should wear their walking shoes, since both days will be packed with activities for pedestrians, including commemorations of the 9/11 attacks 10 years ago. The Arlington Arts Council will be conducting “Art in the Park” in Legion Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Saturday, Sept. 10, and Sunday, Sept. 11. “A special celebration of the arts kicks off at noon on Saturday, when the Arts Council honors the public art contributions for the year,” said city of Arlington Recreation Coordinator Sarah Lopez. Paul Nyenhuis, Greg Parke and Stan Shipley will provide music for the two-day event, which also promises to include food vendors and raffle prizes, while Baker Photographics have pledged to donate 10 percent of their sales toward the 9/11 memorial in Arlington. Sept. 10 will also feature a used book sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. across from the Arlington Library at 135 N .Washington Ave., as well as the return of the Arlington Farmers Market to the city parking lot, next to Legion Park on Olympic Avenue, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 11 will see Macleod Avenue closed from First through Third streets from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., in order to accommodate the Arlington Fire Department’s rededication of Firehouse 46, located at 137 N. Macleod Ave., starting at 11 a.m. and followed by tours of the newly remodeled facility from noon to 2 p.m. During this ceremony, the Arlington Fire Department will also presenting the World Trade Center artifact recently retrieved from New York City by four Arlington firefighters. This artifact will be displayed in a memorial to those first responders who lost their lives on 9/11. Fundraising efforts to design and install the memorial housing for the artifact include not only Baker Photographics’ sales donations, but also the Gleneagle Golf Course’s 9/11 memorial golf tournament, a ball
buster scramble set for 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 11. To register for the tourney, call the Gleneagle Proshop at 360435-6713. Legion Park will host Operation Homefront’s “Freedom Festival” on Sept. 11, with a 5K “Freedom Walk” on Centennial Trail starting from Legion Park at 9:11 a.m. after an 8 a.m. registration. The suggested donation is $5 for walkers. The pre-walk schedule includes a presentation of the colors, the sing-
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ing of the national anthem by “Arlington Idol” winner Hannah Gould, and guest speakers including Arlington Mayor Margaret Larson, Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson, U.S. Navy Cmdr. Steve Richards and representatives of U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen. Legion Park will host other “Freedom Festival” activities throughout the day, including live bands, kids’ activities, food vendors and a patriotic dog costume contest at 2 p.m.