In less than two weeks, the Scotch Plains Sept. 11 Monument will be dedicated on the Alan M. Augustine Village Green, part of a solemn 10th-anniversary ceremony memorializing the victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks, which claimed three township residents.
The ceremony, which starts at 6 p.m., will include performances by choirs from , and , as well as a candlelight memorial following the monument's dedication. The families of the three Scotch Plains residents who died - Matthew Horning, 26, James Walsh, 37, and Mark Rothenberg, 52 – will be in attendance and two are scheduled to speak. Also expected to be in attendance are Port Authority Commissioner Anthony Sartor, who delivered a speech at the monument's unveiling ceremony in April, and former Gov. Donald DiFrancesco, who was in office during the 9/11 attacks.
The monument, which incorporates a steel beam from the World Trade Center site, is expected to be completed by the end of the month.
“It will be ready for Sept. 11," Scotch Plains Mayor Nancy Malool said.
The Scotch Plains 9/11 Memorial Committee, which oversaw the design and construction of the monument, is still seeking donations. Malool said she remains optimistic that the committee will reach its fundraising goal.
“We lowered it to $20,000 [from $25,000] and have about $13,000, so we’re a little short right now,” she said. “We hope to raise that much by the 11th, but if not, we will continue collecting after until we cover the expenses.”
One of the biggest expenses of the project is a coating that must be reapplied every two years to maintain the monument.
Donations can be made using PayPal via the monument’s website, www.scotchplains911memorial.com, or by mailing or dropping-off a check at the Municipal Building. All donations are tax deductible.
“Any amount, big or small, is greatly appreciated,” said Lisa Mohn, Sept. 11 Memorial Committee member and president of the Scotch Plains Business and Professional Association.
