Manchester Remembers 9/11 [VIDEO]

It was a busy yet reflective day in Manchester on Sunday, as various organizations throughout town held a series of events and ceremonies throughout the day and into the evening to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the tragic attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The day of events started bright and early Sunday morning with the dedication of the . The memorial includes a 9 1/2-foot-tall steel beam from the North Tower of the World Trade Center and was dedicated in a ceremony that included dozens of local firefighters and first responders.

From there, the Red Cross held a blood drive at the Eighth Utilities District firehouse on Main Street, which organizers said drew a steady stream of donors from 11 a.m. through 4 p.m.

Mid-afternoon saw a dedicatory concert and piano recital at Cheney Hall (see the attached video of the performance).

“Today’s organ and piano recital is a wonderful way to let music soothe our souls, to give us hope, and to remind us about the goodness of community,” said Joyce Hodgson, executive director of the Little Theatre of Manchester at Cheney Hall.

The day of events was capped by a candlelight vigil at Center Memorial Park Sunday evening, which included reflections on the anniversary and its significance by members of the town’s faith community, music by the Salvation Army’s Brass Ensemble, and an essay read by Shannon Mason, a student at Providence College who was in fifth grade at the time of the attacks. Mason reflected on the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, and how not only that memory the lessons she learned in American's response to the tragedy have shaped her life over the past 10 years.

“My lesson learned is that in the face of adversity, Americans overlook their differences to support one another,” Mason told the crowd. “Ten years later, I still feel pride in listening to songs that boast of American unity. Ten years later, as our country struggles with so many different internal and external problems, maybe we should all look back on those days and weeks that came in the wake of September 11 to prove that it is only through unity and the support of one another that we, Americans, overcome.”

To conclude the vigil, members of the Manchester Youth Commission helped the attendees light candles to commemorate the victims of that fateful day 10 years ago, as JoAnn Post, pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church, read a benediction to close out the ceremony and send the community home in peace.

“For all who grieve and mourn, we seek comfort and healing,” Post prayed. “For our enemies, those who are different from us, and those who might cause us harm, we seek forgiveness and reconciliation. We close this night with prayers for more tender hearts, a more caring community, and a more compassionate world.”