Remembering 9/11: Ceremony At Cashmere's Spirit Of America Memorial

The 24th Anniversary 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony will be held on Thursday, September 11th, at the 9/11 Spirit of America Memorial in Cashmere.

Former Washington Gov. Gary Locke will deliver the keynote address at the ceremony beginning at 11am. Locke served as governor from 1997 to 2005 and served as U.S. Secretary of Commerce and the ambassador to China during the Obama Administration.

Gary Locke/Getty Images

The 9/11 Spirit of America Memorial in Cashmere came to fruition with the collaboration of volunteers and the patriotic citizens of Cashmere and the surrounding area. The memorial installation to pay tribute to all of the lives lost on 9/11 is one of the most extraordinary of its kind anywhere in the country and also helps educate children on the events that reshaped the country.

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The Memorial, dedicated in 2015, includes a piece of structural steel from one of the Twin Towers, an ornamental piece of limestone from the face of the Pentagon, and four bronze statues representing all those who perished on September 11th, 2001. The memorial includes “The Survivor Tree”—a Callery pear like the one pulled from the smoldering rubble of the World Trade site—and four granite monuments. Each monument is engraved with the names of every individual who perished at the Pentagon, the World Trade Center site, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Commemorative Plaque at 9/11 Memorial in Cashmere, WA

Doug Jones, Spirit of 9/11 Memorial Foundation President, anticipates approximately 1,500 people or more are expected to attend, and there is limited seating available.The public is encouraged to bring a folding chair or a blanket to sit on the lawn overlooking the ceremony.

A free LINK shuttle will depart the Wenatchee Valley Senior Activity Center at 10:15am and return after the event. Free hot dogs and refreshments will be provided after the ceremony, and attendees are encouraged to gather and reflect on the events of September 11th, 2001.

NEVER FORGET: Images from 9/11 and the days after

Touring the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in NYC

On this particular trip, we dedicated an entire day to the September 11 Memorial and Museum which was an unforgettable experience.

We didn't know what to expect getting off the subway, but when we came upon the reflection pools, the mood changed entirely. The city is eerily quiet around Ground Zero as if setting the stage for the experience you are about to encounter. An experience you will never forget.

We walked around the pools, taking in all of the names listed and coming upon white roses every so often. Roses that have been placed in remembrance of those lost 17 years ago. At each rose, I found myself pausing and thinking about placing a rose there for one of my loved ones.

Gallery Credit: Jess