The heroes of 9-11 remembered 21 years later

The Decatur Fire Department Honor Guard performs the bell ringing ceremony during a ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of 9/11 Saturday at the 9/11 Memorial along the shores of Lake Decatur in nelson park Visit herald-review.com for more photos and videos.

CLAY JACKSON, HERALD AND REVIEW

DECATUR — The attacks on September 11, 2001are still fresh in the minds of many.

Several events will be held to honor the lives lost that day and the country that still mourns them on Sunday, 21 years after the country changed forever.

“11 cruise to remember 9-11” The car show will kick off the day in Central Park downtown, along with the Sunday Funday of Freedom in the afternoon. Proceeds from the events will go to Veterans & Friends, the Doug Hagen Scholarship Fund and First Responders.

This year marks the 14th year that Ayn Owens has hosted the Cruise 11 event.

“I try to keep the focus on 9-11,” he said. “So the car show entry fee has always been $11, although some of the guys give more.”

According to Owens, the event is popular with veterans. “In the early days, I had World War II veterans getting out of their cars,” he said. “This would be the only car show they would come to.”

First responders will judge the cars and prizes will be awarded to the ten favorite cars. In keeping with the patriotic theme, this year’s prize is a wooden American flag.

Organizers wanted to show their patriotism and gratitude to first responders during the event. “We try to make people remember to think about them, not just on 9-11, but every day,” Owens said.

Cars roll through Dickinson in Decatur Sunday during the 12th annual “Cruise 11 to Remember 9-11” event. The theme of the event was “Honoring our heroes”.

CLAY JACKSON, HERALD AND REVIEW

Other Central Park activities planned for the day include the Soy City Baggers cornhole tournament at noon. The Notorious PIG food truck and vendors selling beer and soda will also be on hand. Entertainment will be provided by Wreckless Whiskey, Tulo and Eads, Stereo Typical. The Children’s Museum of Illinois will host the children’s activity area.

The Hampton Inn along Mount Zion Road will host the venue 9-11 Ascent of commemorative stairs from 9 o’clock on Sunday. The activities will continue until 7 p.m

According to Brit McKinney, the hotel’s general manager, the identification badges of all the first-timers who died on September 11, 2001, will be on a display board in the lobby. “When the community comes out, they can pick up one of these ID cards and then take them upstairs to another set of display boards where they can put them,” he said. “Almost like you’re bringing first responders up.”

A plaque filled with insignia identifying the first to lose their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, will sit in the lobby of the Hampton Inn in Decatur.

MATEUSZ JANIK, HERALD AND REVIEW

The building has four floors. The full stair climb would include 28 trips to the top of the building and back down. “We do this as a challenge event,” McKinney said. “You can either do a set, or no stairs, just enjoy the rest of the events.”

The day will be filled with other events, including food trucks, fire truck displays and a commemorative flag garden. “That’s why we have one American flag for each person, 2,977 American flags, that we put up outside the hotel representing each person that died that day,” McKinney said.

Guests will be able to bring fire gear and try out interactive items, “to make it a complete experience,” McKinney said. “We call it a living monument, because it’s not just a wall. It’s something you’re going to be a part of.”

According to McKinney, some of the most interesting items are parts used or found during the recovery of the World Trade Center. Five members of the Hampton Inn are firefighters who have donated other items for the day.

The “We Fight Back” gala is gearing up for the next event

For those looking for the hotel on Sunday, simply look for the giant American flag hanging on the side of the building. “It’s 40 feet long,” McKinney said. “We put her on the end of the building for the event.”

An outstanding event for veterans, Family Freedom Festivalwill be Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m., at VFW Post 99, 3920 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Decatur.

The free festival will offer family-friendly activities including face painting, balloon animals and bounce houses. Games, music and food trucks will complete the day.

A special display during the event will be the National Guard’s High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles with a Remotely Operated Common Weapons Station, or CROWS.

The day will end with a solution to Decatur’s own recognition of the attacks on the country.

Motorcyclists, first responders and veterans participated in the 2021 Coziahr Harley-Davidson 9/11 Remembrance Ride on Friday to honor the lives lost in the 9/11 attacks.

Mateusz Janik

Decatur’s 9/11 memorial will have a short ceremony with the help of Coziahr Harley Davidson. Motorcycles and other vehicles are invited to meet at 6 pm at the dealership, 150 W. Marion St., Forsyth.

According to Sterling Taber, CEO, riders will travel directly to the monument on the Nelson Park side of Lake Decatur, near the Beach House.

“The weather is kind of crazy,” Taber said. “If he’s still fit to be there, you’ll only find us at the memorial. Anyone who comes to the store, we’ll go as a smaller group.”

The goal is for the group to gather at the memorial at the same time the lights are turned on, Taber said. The event will feature a speaker, vocalist and the performance of Taps.

“It’s beautiful and solemn,” he said. “The whole ceremony takes 15 minutes, at most.”

The Decatur memorial is special for the motorcycle dealership. The business helped raise funds for the memorial which was unveiled on September 11, 2017.

“He’s a great asset to the city,” Taber said.