Students, officials gathered to honor bravery on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Stephen Finn
The Sun
Representatives from Burlington Township police, fire and EMS all gathered at Fountain Woods Elementary School for the annual Heroes Day Commemoration on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. An act meant to divide our nation that still brings our people together.
What began as a relatively small event in 2002, where a tree was planted to memorialize the sacrifices of the first responders, has since grown into a yearly ceremony involving the entire school.
Board of Education Vice President Susan Eichmann was present and stressed the importance of teaching the students about the heroes in their community. “Although our children weren’t alive on 9/11 we try and communicate a message in an age-appropriate way and introduce them to our heroes,” said Eichmann.
A number of local heroes were also in attendance, like Police Director Bruce Painter, who comes to the ceremony every year. “To me heroism is acts of selflessness that help others,” said Painter. He believes it is critical to the children’s development that they are introduced to police and emergency personnel at an early age. “They should get to know them as people who are there to help rather than as an adversary.”
This year’s ceremony began with school principal John Johnson and Mayor Brian Carlin addressing the service members in attendance. Johnson recounted his personal experience, at the time working as a teacher at the school, on that historic day.
He remembered the fear many of us felt as parents rushed to the school to take their children home but most importantly he remembered those who were first on the scene of the tragic event. “Countless heroes were revealed on that day. In the weeks, months and years that followed we wanted to make sure that those heroes were not forgotten,” said Johnson.
Carlin touched on how events like this define us as a nation. “From our grandparents who had World War II, our parents who had the JFK assassination, to us who have 9/11, our nation is defined by how we respond to these events. This country picked itself up after being attacked and moved forward.”
Following this, the event was taken outside where Assemblywoman Carol Murphy, alongside members of the Burlington County Police Department’s Honor Guard, placed a ceremonial wreath at the foot of the tree that was planted at the first Heroes Day.
Murphy expressed her enthusiasm for the event. “I’m always thrilled to be a voice with my fellow colleagues, council members and teachers praising our men and women in uniform whether it’s police, EMTs or military all the folks who respond immediately to a crisis,” said Murphy.
She plans on introducing a resolution to take Heroes Day to the rest of New Jersey. “This day will be commemorated not only in history but as we move forward as a day of not only mourning but also a day of celebration,” said Murphy.
Heroes Day concluded with a parade involving the entire school. Grade by grade students dressed in red, white and blue marched around the school, many thanking the service members present as they passed. One student broke off from the parade to embrace his father, police Sgt. Chris Ent, a member of the honor guard who participated in the morning’s ceremonies.
The display left little doubt that the sacrifices of our first responders will not be lost on a new generation that will hopefully carry that spirit of service with them for years to come.
