Written by: Rebecca Straits (Rjs006@marietta.edu)
Marietta College held a community memorial event last Friday for the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The event lasted from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. and was on the Christy Mall and the lawn behind the Amphitheater.
The memorial demonstration of placing small American flags and the flags of other countries affected by 9/11 continued this year on the lawn behind the Amphitheater. The flags represent the over 2,000 individuals lost during the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and United Airlines Flight 93. The memorial is an annual demonstration set up by Marietta College’s Student Government (SGA), Marietta College’s chapter of Student Veterans of America, and volunteers.
A new display was debuted in between Gillman Dining Hall and the Amphitheater lawn. The display was designed by sophomore student Kaira Gulett and was created by student interns at the Appalachian Ohio Manufacturers’ Coalition in remembrance of 9/11. When asked about the new display, Gulett explained how grateful she was to have the opportunity to create something that helped remember those who died during 9/11, “I knew I wanted to keep the design simple. I knew I needed a shape as an outline and immediately thought of a pentagon. This was to help capture the importance of the day and remember that the Twin Towers were not the only ones targeted.”
The display showcases the World Trade Center in the middle of a pentagon with a soldier and firefighter on either side and “Our neighbors, never forgotten” written above.
Gullet concluded, “Overall, the sign represents unity for all Americans who came together on this tragic day and to never forget those who lost their lives or loved ones.”
The Christy Mall was adorned with signs commemorating first responders, civilians, and those lost in action because of 9/11 who were from the Mid-Ohio Valley. Tables were set up where students and community members could write thank you notes to active-duty military, veterans, and first responders. There was also a table with materials to pack care kits for veterans facing homelessness, which included shelf stable food, clean socks, bandages, and hygiene products.
Jason Nulton, Director of Veteran and Military Services at Marietta College, commented on the event stating, “I hope people leave feeling more connected than they did when they arrived. We centered this year on “our neighbors, never forgotten,” to honor our Mid-Ohio Valley community members who died on 9/11 or in the military conflict that followed. I hope our community members and students see that service is also remembrance of those people.”
When asked about what Marietta College’s 9/11 Community Day meant to him Nulton stated, “For me it’s about remembrance. It was such a horrifically awful day and everyone who lived through it remembers where they were. After 9/11 happened, the country came together like never before in my lifetime, and Community Day is a chance to recapture that and remember what’s really important — each other, our families, and our communities. It is also a chance to honor our first responders and military veterans, and teach the next generation that there’s something bigger than us.”
Nulton was on active duty in the Air Force during the events of 9/11, “I happened to be in a very mundane staff meeting with my boss, which was concluding when he announced to all of us that a plane had hit the World Trade Center in NYC… I remember watching the replays of the planes hitting the towers and one of our squadron’s civilian employees looked at me and said, “Do you know what this is? This is an act of war!” Some things in your life are burned on your brain, and that moment is burned on mine. I remember his face, his voice, and his concerned, yet angry tone, and I remember exactly where I was standing when he said it. Indeed, he was right — it was an act of war, and that act changed everything for the rest of my Air Force career from that day forward.”
For previous stories on Marietta College’s 9/11 Day check out :https://www.marcolian.com/?p=2120 and for updates on future stories, follow us on instagram at marettacollegestudentmedia.
