Lansing - One year after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, city officials are planning a day of remembrance activities to honor lives lost in the attacks that killed more than 3,000 people.
Lansing Mayor David Hollister’s office planned several events to commemorate those who died during the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Activities include a silent march at the Capitol, ceremonies at the eight Lansing fire stations and several citywide church services.
“A number of people came to the mayor and asked what the city was going to do to recognize the first anniversary of this horrific event,” said Liza Estlund Olson, director of Management Services for Hollister, causing the mayor’s office to take the lead.
On the morning of Sept. 11, the community is invited to join the fire stations for one minute of silence followed by a minute of sirens.
From a firefighter’s perspective, Lansing Fire Capt. Marvin Helmker said the remembrance is extremely important. The attacks triggered the “largest loss of life in peace time that we’ve ever experienced,” Helmker said. “We recognize how the firefighters went in and risked their lives. We’ll never know how many lives were saved as a result of the 343 people who lost their lives.”
Following the ceremony at the fire stations, churches in the Lansing area will ring their bells at noon for five minutes - and several will follow with non-denominational services. To wrap up the day’s remembrance, the community is invited to meet at the steps of the state capitol for a candlelight vigil and silent march of remembrance.
“We wanted to keep it simple,” Olson said.
The march ends at Wentworth Park in Lansing, where a Sept. 11 memorial will be dedicated. The memorial includes a piece of the World Trade Center and three trees - the dogwood, representing Virginia, the silver maple, representing New York and the hemlock, for Pennsylvania where a fourth hijacked plane crashed.
“We wanted the piece of the World Trade Center to be near the Michigan Capitol,” Olson said. “We want the people to touch it, to feel the massive loss we felt last September.”
