9/11 remembered

Rev. Michael Kelly presides over a 9/11 tribute Friday morning in an outdoor ceremony at St. Francis Solano School.

The 10th anniversary will be commemorated Sunday in Sonoma with ceremonies and a Plaza barbecue.

The tribute begins at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 11, at the Fire Station on Second Street West. There will be a moment of silence at 6:58 a.m. followed by a Final Bell Ceremony, a reading of the names of the firefighters who died that day. Perrin Cutting will sing the National Anthem.

Activities in Sonoma Plaza begin at 9 a.m. Teressa Byrne Foss will sing the National Anthem, and there will be a reading of the names of all of the nearly 3,000 victims of the terrorist attacks.

Rev. Nancy Taylor will deliver the benediction and Mayor Laurie Gallian will deliver the City of Sonoma proclamation.

Councilmember Ken Brown, one of the primary organizers of the event, will deliver the main speech on what he calls “a historical day of reflection and remembrance.”

Fred Gusman, executive director of The Pathway Home in Yountville, will also speak. Gusman was recently recognized as a “Faces of Strength” recipient by the United States Army.

At noon the Sonoma Community Center will serve barbecue lunch and the Sonoma Home Town Band will play a set of vintage Americana.

The Sonoma Valley Chorale, the Valley of the Moon Chamber Ensemble and the St. Andrew Singers will join for a program to include “Kyrie” from “Memorial,” by Rene Clausen, which is being performed all over the United States and the world as part of Global Sing for Peace.
The live music continues with the The Hot Flashes, and Tommy Thomsen and Friends.

Donations to support the event are encouraged. Checks may be sent to: SVFR Volunteers, Fire Station #1, 630 Second Street West, Sonoma 95476, attention Tom Deely.

The event producers, all volunteers, acknowledge with gratitude the significant donations from Renee and Rick Dellar, Sarah and Darius Anderson, Fred and Barbara White Perry, American Legion Post 489, August and Alison Sebastiani, Bank of Marin, Sonoma Garbage Co., Citta Slow Sonoma Valley, Council member Tom Rouse, David Goodison, David Ewing, Sonoma Mayor Laurie Gallian and many others.