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Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

Ely marks 20th anniversary of 9/11

Keith Vandervort
Posted 9/15/21

ELY –Following ISD 696’s postponement of a 9/11 memorial event that was organized by the school’s student council, an alternative site was found at the last minute for the …

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Ely marks 20th anniversary of 9/11

Posted

ELY –Following ISD 696’s postponement of a 9/11 memorial event that was organized by the school’s student council, an alternative site was found at the last minute for the “Never Forget” Memorial Ceremony last Friday at the Veterans Memorial adjacent to the Trezona Trail.
With thousands of American flags positioned around the site, dozens of city residents attended the event that marked the 20th anniversary of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
The Ely Honor Guard posted the American flag to open the brief ceremony, followed by the playing of the National Anthem and the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Two speakers, C.J. Ross, Park Ranger Law Enforcement Academy director at Vermilion Community College, and Ely Mayor Roger Skraba, presented remarks on the solemnity of the event. The audience also paid tribute to local veterans and first responders. The playing of Taps and a moment of silence concluded the tribute.
On Saturday, a somber procession of emergency vehicles down Sheridan Street was held in Ely to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11. First responder and emergency vehicles from the Ely Police Department, Ely Fire Department, Ely Ambulance Service, Morse-Fall Lake Township Fire Department, Babbitt Fire Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Department, St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Border Patrol participated.
Those viewing the procession observed a moment of silence as it passed in recognition of the 343 New York City firefighters, 23 New York City police officers, and 37 officers of the Port Authority who paid the ultimate sacrifice twenty years ago.
In a notice to local media late last Wednesday, Ely school 6-12 Principal Megan Anderson said the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11 will be commemorated at the school’s Veterans Day ceremony in November.
ISD 696 Superintendent Erik Erie said last Thursday that the 9/11 event was planned before the school shifted to a protective face mask protocol due to public health concerns over the surging COVID-19 case rate.