The City of Peoria announced plans to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of September 11 by holding a 9/11 Remembrance Event at O’Brien Field on September 10, 2011, from 10:00 until 11:15 a.m. This special service, which is free and open to the public, is a tribute not only to those individuals who lost their lives on that fateful day, but to the men and women who continue to risk their lives to keep our nation safe.
The gates of O’Brien Field will open at 9:00 a.m., and spectators will be greeted with performances by The Peoria Ballet, Pulses of Hope, and the Richwoods Gospel Choir. Vehicles will be displayed along Jefferson Street as we showcase first responders from the military, police, fire, and medical services.
“Like Pearl Harbor, 9/11 will always be a day for our country to reflect on with heavy hearts. It will also be a day when we remind ourselves that we are the land of the free and the home of the brave. We will not be intimidated. We persevered to bring those responsible for attacking our country to justice. There will always be a price to pay for the freedom we enjoy. This is a community event being held in Peoria. Hopefully, people from the entire area will attend the Remembrance Event to pay respects to those who lost their lives and to celebrate and give thanks that we live in this great country. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,” said Mayor Jim Ardis.
With the assistance of Kathy Downing, we are pleased to welcome Vice Admiral Robert S. Harward, Deputy Commander, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) as the guest speaker for our 9/11 Remembrance Event. Vice Admiral Harward commanded troops in Afghanistan and Iraq for over six years since September 11, 2001 where he last served as the commander of the Combined Joint Interagency Task Force (CJIATF) 435. He is also Navy SEAL and one of the nation’s most seasoned special operations officers having served in a number of special operations roles including commander SEAL Team Three; commander Naval Special Warfare Group ONE and deputy commanding general Joint Special Operations Command. We are honored to have a speaker of Admiral Harward’s caliber for our event and look forward to hearing his thoughts about the events of September 11 and his hopes for the future.
Event organizers are encouraging everyone to show their pride by wearing red, white or blue to the event. Volunteers will also be distributing flags to attendees courtesy of CEFCU. In addition to our featured speaker, the program will include selections from the Peoria Civic Chorale, in conjunction with the 566th AF Band of the Midwest, which is located at the 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria, and a special recognition of veteran’s, those serving in the armed forces, and first responders.