Dedication of the 9-11 Memorial in Norristown, Pennsylvania. September 8, 2005.
Flags were flying everywhere.
Even the County flag (the imagery includes agriculture, transportation, and technology) was snapping in the breeze.
There were only a few people with direct Montgomery County connections that perished in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. A few, however, were too many.
Norristown was one of the cities in the United States that were selected to receive a piece of the wreckage of what had been the World Trade Center. One of the I-Beams was given to the city, and a decision was made to have a piece of art prepared with the I-Beam as a centerpiece of the work.
A lot has been going on behind the scenes related to the I-Beam. A selection committee chose a sculptor, Sassona Norton, who saw life and hope, as well as destruction in the twisted piece of metal that ended up in her studio. The I-Beam is barely recognizable as such.
I spent the early part of today at the Montgomery County Courthouse observing the dedication, as a guest of the County Commissioners. I had an actual invite. I didn’t just crash the party. I was in VIP seating along with other members of the Montgomery County Critical Incident Stress Management Team.
There was the usual assortment bagpipes, speeches, and a very beautiful rendition of the Star Spangled Banner (in a singable key, no less) by the Montgomery County Courthouse Choir , and a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance (under God intact version).
As is customary for such events, the “guest of honor” waited patiently for it’s grand entrance.