Via The Associated Press
COOLVILLE — In a packed gymnasium Friday, students from all grade levels at Coolville Elementary honored local first responders and caregivers during the school’s annual tribute to those who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Although commemorating a tragic event, the tone was more cheerful than one might expect because Coolville’s Patriot Day program also is a celebration of those who serve their country and community.
Clad in red, white and blue, the students, their families and Coolville staff recognized approximately 20 first responders from the area Friday afternoon, including firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical service personnel and others.
Staff and students sang patriotic songs such as “You’re a Grand Old Flag” and the national anthem, and spoke the Pledge of Allegiance. Many students also had handmade white headbands with blue and red stars on them. At least a dozen flags were on display, as students of all grade levels carried flags at the beginning and the end of the ceremony.
“This is a really important day for several reasons,” Coolville Principal Mary Mitchell told attendees. “A lot of our children don’t remember Sept. 11. We are here to honor the people who died on Sept. 11, 2001, and to recognize members of our community who serve, and work to make us safe.”
Therese Lackey, the music teacher at Coolville who organized the program, added, “It is important that we have so many helpers in our community.”
Local firefighter Jim Allen spoke to the assembled students, staff and parents, giving them an idea of the importance of Sept. 11 and a brief history lesson on what happened that day. He spoke of the heroism of first responders who ran to save those stuck in the twin towers after the airplanes struck the structures, and of the sacrifice passengers on one of the planes made to keep it from crashing into yet another American site. That plane crashed instead in the Pennsylvania countryside.
Allen asked students and their families to take a moment today, on the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11, to remember those sacrifices and honor those who lost their lives that day.
Attending the event were representatives from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, Coolville Volunteer Fire Department, Coolville police, the Athens post of the State Highway Patrol, Rome Volunteer Fire Department and Friends and Neighbors Community Choice Food Center, along with emergency medical technicians from the Athens County Emergency Medical Service and caregivers from Arcadia Nursing Home and Holzer Clinic.
Students presented them with handmade cards and letters thanking them for everything they do.
“You have a very important job. We know lots of people you help keep safe,” one letter wrote to the staff at Arcadia Nursing Home. “You are heroes! We are happy that you are in Coolville.”
One of the letters to area police agencies stated, “You help lost kids find their parents, you arrest people when they do bad things. You help keep the world safe for everyone.”
And one card for the firefighters highlighted the dangerous work they do, stating, “I think your job is a nice thing to do. I see you a lot because you are helping people put out fires. I bet when you are in the fire it’s scary. Thank you for keeping us safe.”
