Augusta University and the City of Augusta held their ninth annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony and 5K run to honor victims of the September 11 attacks. The event took place on Saturday, Sept. 6, at the D. Douglas Barnard, Jr. Amphitheater on Augusta University’s Summerville Campus.
The ceremony featured performances by Lora Huff, who sang the national anthem, and the John Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School jazz band, which played patriotic music. Honor guards from the Augusta Richmond County Fire Department, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and AU ROTC presented the colors and performed a ceremonial bell ringing at 8:46 a.m., marking the time when the first plane struck on September 11, 2001. Public safety agencies from Columbia and Richmond counties also participated in the event.
“It continues to be a great privilege for my wife, Cornelia, and I to be able to serve the community and play a small role in providing the opportunity for us all to honor our commitment to never forget,” said John Ryan, emergency manager at Augusta University and coordinator for AU’s Critical Event Preparedness and Response, or CEPaR. “The collaboration among Augusta University, the City of Augusta and all of the partners that come together to make this event a reality is incredible.”
Funds raised through the 5K race were donated to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. The foundation honors first responders and military personnel in memory of Stephen Siller—a firefighter who died on September 11 after running with his gear from Brooklyn through closed tunnels to reach the World Trade Center site.
The foundation supports several programs including Building for America’s Bravest, which constructs smart homes for injured U.S. service members.
