Stafford County invites all members of the public to its annual 9/11 ceremony to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in trying to help the victims of the September 11, 2001, attack and remember the civilian lives lost. Stafford County has held an annual bell-ringing ceremony since the year after 9/11. This year’s event marks the 20th Anniversary of September 11.
“The philosopher and novelist George Santayana is credited with saying those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” said Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Crystal Vanuch. “We are gathering to make sure we never forget those who were lost when our country was attacked and to remember, 20 years on, that we must always be united in protecting our country.”
Stafford partnered with the National September 11 Memorial & Museum to curate a display of photos from September 11 that will be on display at the event. Special guests will be recognized for their service at Ground Zero and the Pentagon in the days following September 11.
The ceremony takes place near the entrance to the George L. Gordon, Jr., Government Center at 1300 Courthouse Road, Stafford, VA, at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, September 10. A bell-ringing ceremony will be performed involving five tolls, a signal that traditionally marked the safe return of firefighters to the station. The bell-ringing is also used at funerals for fire and rescue personnel. Special bagpipe music will be performed before and during the ceremony.
The order of events is listed below.
Order of Events
Special Music
Welcome – Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Crystal Vanuch
Invocation – Stafford Fire and Rescue Chaplain Chris Brown
Remarks by Chairman Crystal Vanuch
Remarks by Sheriff David Decatur
Remarks by Chief Joseph Cardello
Bell Ringing Ceremony
Laying of Wreath – Sheriff David Decatur and Stafford Fire and Rescue Chief Joseph Cardello
Dismissal - Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Crystal Vanuch