On Monday, September 11, at 7 o’clock p.m., the Great Falls Freedom Memorial honored the six residents of Great Falls and all others who lost their lives and suffered in the attacks and their aftermath at the annual 9-11 Remembrance Ceremony. The event featured patriotic songs by singer Erin Gantt, a Boy Scout color guard, “Amazing Grace” bagpiped by local student MacPhearson Strassberg, a keynote speech by Great Falls native Vitale Christy, “Taps” bugled by local student Steven Kramp, and a candlelight vigil.
Photos and video of the event are available at this link:
On Monday, September 11, at 7 o’clock p.m., the annual 9-11 Remembrance Ceremony will be held at the Great Falls Freedom Memorial to honor the six residents of Great Falls and all others who lost their lives and suffered in the attacks and their aftermath. The event will feature patriotic songs by guest singer Erin Gantt, a Boy Scout color guard, “Amazing Grace” bagpiped by local student MacPhearson Strassberg, a keynote speech by Great Falls native Vitale Christy, “Taps,” and a candlelight vigil.
The Freedom Memorial is located behind the Great Falls Library at 9830 Georgetown Pike. The ceremony is open to all. Parking is available in the library parking lot. In case of rain, the ceremony will move to the Grange. Limited seating will be provided. Attendees are encouraged but not required to bring portable chairs.
The annual 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony was held on Sunday, September 11, 2022, at 5 o’clock p.m. The ceremony featured patriotic songs by the U.S. Army. 29th Infantry Division Band, a color guard from Boy Scout Troop 55, “Taps” by Boy Scout Henry Lin, “Amazing Grace” by Great Falls high school sophomore MacPhearson Strassberg, and keynote speech by longtime Great Falls resident Richard L. Haver, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence.
The Great Falls Connection published a story about the event, available by clicking the image below or here.
A video of the event can be seen below or by clicking here.
The 2021 9-11 Remembrance Ceremony honored the 20th anniversary of that fateful day with a Boy Scout color guard, a young Great Falls bagpiper, singing by the Langley Madigrals, a taps bugler, remarks by retired three-star Army general Bob Wood whose Pentagon office was struck by American Airlines Flight 77, a bell-ringing for each of the six victims from Great Falls, and one of the largest audiences the Freedom Memorial has ever hosted. Thanks to all who participated. The ceremony can be viewed below or by clicking here.
The Great Falls Connection published a story about the ceremony, which can be viewed here.
Six residents of Great Falls perished in the 9/11 attacks. A ceremony will be held to honor them and all who sacrificed on that day and its aftermath at the Great Falls Freedom Memorial on Saturday, September 11, 2021, at 9 o’clock a.m. The ceremony will feature a Boy Scout color guard, taps bugler, patriotic songs, and keynote speech by retired Army three-star general Robert Wood, who was present at the Pentagon on 9/11. All are invited. The Freedom Memorial is located behind the Great Falls Library at 9830 Georgetown Pike. Ample parking is available in the library parking lot. In case of rain, the ceremony will move indoors to the library meeting room. Limited seating will be provided. Attendees are encouraged to bring portable chairs. Click here to view a flyer for the event. www.gffreedom.org
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 September 11 Ceremony will not be held. Those who died and served on that day and in its aftermath will be in our thoughts and prayers.
Six residents of Great Falls perished in the 9/11 attacks. A ceremony will be held to honor them and all who sacrificed on that day and its aftermath at the Great Falls Freedom Memorial on Wednesday, September 11, 2019, at 7 o’clock p.m. The ceremony will feature a Boy Scout color guard, taps bugler, patriotic songs, candle-lighting, and keynote speech by Frank Sesno, CNN Washington Bureau Chief on 9/11.
All are invited. The Freedom Memorial is located behind the Great Falls Library at 9830 Georgetown Pike. Ample parking is available in the library parking lot. In case of rain, the ceremony will move indoors to the library meeting room. Limited seating will be provided. Attendees are encouraged to bring portable chairs. www.gffreedom.org
9/11 candlelight vigil, Great Falls Freedom Memorial, Great Falls, Virginia
On Monday, September 11, at 7 o’clock pm, the annual September 11 Remembrance Ceremony was held at the Great Falls Freedom Memorial. Great Falls lost six residents to the attacks on September 11, perhaps the highest casualty rate in America. The ceremony honored them and all who sacrificed on that day and in its aftermath.
The event opened with a presentation of the flag by a detachment of the United States Marine Corps. The audience recited the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Boy Scout Troop 55, and sang the National Anthem, led by Erin Gantt of the Washington Choral Arts Society. The keynote speaker, Great Falls resident Jim Roberts, President of Radio America and founder of the American Veterans Center, shared vivid audio from his station’s radio broadcast on 9/11, his recollections of the terrorist attacks, and his thoughts on the lessons to be drawn from them. The audience lit candles in remembrance of each of the September 11 victims from Great Falls, while trumpeter Steven Pastore, also of Great Falls, sounded Taps.
The Great Falls Connection carried a story about the event, which you can read by clicking on the image below.
View and share pictures and video about the event here. A video of the entire event can be seen here:
The Freedom Memorial is located behind the Great Falls Library at 9830 Georgetown Pike and hosts three ceremonies each year, on Memorial Day, September 11, and Veterans Day. The ceremonies are open to all. Ample parking is available in the library parking lot. In case of rain, the ceremony moves to the library meeting room. Limited seating is provided. Attendees are encouraged to bring portable chairs to all Freedom Memorial ceremonies, particularly Memorial Day.
Fairfax County Supervisor John Foust, Virginia State Senator Barbara Favola, Friend of the Freedom Memorial Sara Hilgartner, U.S. Representative Barbara Comstock, and Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Director Chuck Rosenberg observe a moment of silence at the Freedom Memorial in Great Falls, Virginia on September 11, 2016. Photo taken from a story in the Great Falls Connection, to which it links.
On Sunday, September 11, at 7:00 PM, the annual September 11 Remembrance Ceremony was held at the site of the Freedom Memorial. Great Falls lost six residents to the attacks on September 11, thought to be the highest casualty rate in America. The ceremony honored them, and all who sacrificed on this day and its aftermath. The event included a Marine Corps color guard, patriotic songs, remarks by Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Administrator Charles Rosenberg, and a candle-lighting for each of the September 11 victims from Great Falls.
