Onslow Civic Affairs Committee Patriot Day Observance Set for This Wednesday
Onslow County Citizens to Gather for Reflection and Remembrance on 21st Anniversary of 9/11
Community Observance to Feature Guest Speaker, Dignitaries, Musical Performances, and Candlelight Vigil
The Onslow Civic Affairs Committee will host its annual Patriot Day Observance this Wednesday, September 11, to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the terrorist attacks that claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The event, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 6 p.m. at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at the Coastal Carolina Regional Airport.
The observance will feature a variety of activities, including:
- A welcome from Onslow Civic Affairs Committee Chairman Gary Capps
- Invocation by Chaplain Mark Owens
- Pledge of Allegiance led by Boy Scout Troop 33
- Musical performances by Northside High School Band and Onslow Choral Society
- Keynote address by U.S. Marine Corps Col. (Ret.) Michael P. Dunn
- Reading of victims' names by members of the Jacksonville Fire Department
- Candlelight vigil
- Closing remarks by Onslow County Board of Commissioners Chairman Jack Bright
Dunn, a native of Onslow County, is a retired Marine Corps officer who served as commanding officer of the 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion during the Battle of Fallujah in 2004. He is a recipient of the Navy Cross, the Silver Star, and the Bronze Star with Valor.
Capps said the Patriot Day Observance is an important opportunity for the community to come together and remember the lives lost on 9/11.
"This is a day for us to mourn the victims of these senseless attacks and to honor the first responders who risked their lives to save others," Capps said. "It is also a day for us to recommit ourselves to the principles of freedom and democracy that were attacked on that fateful day."
The Onslow Civic Affairs Committee is a non-profit organization that works to promote civic engagement and community involvement in Onslow County. The committee organizes a variety of events throughout the year, including the Patriot Day Observance, the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Breakfast, and the Onslow County Community Expo.
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