The Sandspur

Issue date: 9/19/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Justin Braun IN MEMORY: Above left: a procession of vehicles from each branch of emergency response agencies surrounded the site of the memorial. Below left: President Lewis Duncan addresses the attendees with a moving invocation. Right: Local paramedics solemnly pay their respects to the fallen.

In memory of the tragedy that befell our country in the early morning of September 11th seven years ago, members of the Rollins College Community as well as members of the Winter Park community gathered to honor those who lost their lives during this tragedy.

The Pearl Harbor of our generation, September 11th changed the lives of thousand of individuals and families across the nation. It was an act meant to break us but that initially unified us, and seven years from that day, the Rollins College Community stood unified once again.

The ceremony, which included a performance by Rollins's Chamber Singers as well as speeches by several prominent members of the Winter Park Community, was a heart-touching event at its best.

As Student Government President, Marissa Germain said, "It was a beautiful ceremony, and it was cool to see the members of the Winter Park community come together."

At 10:30 A.M., over 200 guests gathered around the Veteran's Memorial flagpole in front of the Warren Administration building. Fire trucks stood behind the crowd as the uniformed men of Winter Park took their positions in the far left of the crowd. A few chairs were set out for officials, honored guests, and a few reporters, and directly behind them stood a crowd of fraternity brothers waiting to pay their respects. The rest of the crowd was made up of Rollins' faculty and staff as well as a few other community members.

All stood in resolute respect as the flag was carried out and as Student Government President, Marissa Germain, led the Pledge of Allegiance. Photographers mingled through the crowd catching the melancholy faces and swollen eyes of the crowd as the words of our country reverberated through the air. Within moments of the pledge ending, the Rollins Chamber Singers, led by Rollins' professor Dr. Sinclair, began singing "Even When God Is Silent", a most appropriate song that silenced everyone audience member.

Continued...

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