Remembering 9/11

By Patrick Loch

Around the country, there were many organized events to memorialize the horrific day that left over 2,700 people dead. Here at Metropolitan State University, it was no different. At 9 a.m., students and faculty were invited to the “Remembering 9/11” ceremony in Founders Hall Auditorium.

During the program, attendees were introduced to several student service members during an opening flag ceremony. Following that, they listened as Sue Hammersmith, president of Metropolitan State, spoke about “doing something for the common good.”

Metropolitan State did something good by participating in the “United We Serve” initiative on Sept. 10. This initiative was part of President Obama’s calling on all Americans to volunteer in their communities this past summer. Hammersmith finished by introducing the keynote speaker, Chief John Harrington of the St. Paul Police Department.

Harrington eloquently related the stories of his friends who were at ground zero on Sept. 11, 2001, and then asked the participants to take a moment of silence for the lives lost. He finished by asking the audience to take a moment to tell their loved ones that they are loved, as most phone calls coming from the towers and planes were aimed to do just that.