Ceremonies, vigils to mark 20th anniversary of Sept. 11 terrorist attacks

by Judith Hruz

Editor

Sept. 11 will mark the 20^th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 2001, when 19 militants associated with al Qaeda, an Islamic extremist group, hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks on the United States, killing 2,977 people.

Eleven Montgomery County residents died in those attacks.

Sandy Spring Volunteer Fire Department, which has held a candlelight vigil in the heart of Olney since 2001, will hold its annual Candlelight Remembrance from 7 to 7:30 p.m. at the intersection of Georgia Avenue (Route. 97) and Olney-Laytonsville/Olney-Sandy Spring road (Route 108).

Join members of SSVFD and their families to honor the victims. Friends of the fire department, members of other public service departments and members of the community are invited to attend.

All participants are encouraged to wear appropriate face coverings and be mindful of social distancing, and bring candles.

County, City of Rockville to hold Remembrance Ceremony

Montgomery County and the City of Rockville will hold a September 11 Remembrance Ceremony from 11 a.m. to noon Sept. 10 at Courthouse Square Park, Maryland and West Montgomery avenues in downtown Rockville.

The ceremony will include a presentation of colors by members of the county Fire and Rescue Service, Police and Sheriff’s Office and remarks by County Executive Marc Elrich, Rockville Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton and County Council President Tom Hucker.

Members of the Montgomery County Council and Rockville City Council will read the names of victims of the terrorist attacks.

The 9/11 Memorial at Courthouse Square Park remembers the 11 Montgomery County residents who lost their lives on Sept. 11: William Edward Caswell, Dr. Gerald Paul Fisher, Capt. Lawrence D. Getzfred, Michele M. Heidenberger, Angela Marie Houtz, Teddington Hamm Moy, Lt. Darin H. Pontell, Scott A. Powell, Todd Hayes Reuben, Patricia J. Statz and Ernest M. Willcher.