“Let us remember that so many brave first responders, firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical personnel ran to save members of their flock. They were angels God sent, not just to save our lives, but to grant hope to our souls. They were and are part of what is best of our American spirit.”

Rebecca Catagnus spoke those words as part of her reflections at the Annual Southward Playground Sept. 11 Memorial Service. The service was at the First United Methodist Church, West Broad St., Tamaqua, because of inclement weather.

Program Coordinator Shelly Troxell opened the service saying, “On this day, 21 years ago, 246 people went to sleep, knowing they had a flight in the morning; 2,606 people went to sleep before work in the morning; 344 firefighters went to sleep, knowing they might have to fight a fire and save a life the next day; 60 police officers went to sleep in preparation for morning patrol; 80 paramedics when to sleep before their morning shift. None of them saw past 9:59 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001. In one single moment, life would never be the same.”

Pastor Robert Tomes, of the New Life Assembly of God, Tamaqua, gave the invocation, and Micah Gursky served as the master of ceremonies, introducing the speakers and singers.

Local residents offered music for the service.

Koreena Bittner sang the national anthem and “I’m Proud to Be an American,” Skyy Boyer sang “America the Beautiful,” Jack Kulp and Pastor Cindy White offered The Byrds “Turn, Turn, Turn,” and Rodney Clouser sang the Darryl Worley song, “Have You Forgotten.”

George Haldeman, a firefighter with the South Ward Fire Dept., read “The Fireman’s Prayer.”

Additional speakers included state Rep. Jerry Knowles, and Schuylkill County Commissioners Gary Hess and Barron Hetherington, all of whom shared their remembrances of Sept. 11. Commissioner George Halcovage did not attend because of another commitment, but Jack Kulp read a prepared message from Halcovage.

“It’s so important,” Rep. Knowles said, “because as we see so many of these young people in the church here, they weren’t even around when this incident took place. They just remember what they see on TV. You guys who are following us; it’s very important, I think, that you continue this tradition.”

“Tonight, together, as a community, we’re here in Tamaqua, like other communities across Schuylkill County and across Pennsylvania and America,” Commissioner Hess said. “Together we all pray, we all hope, and mostly we remember that Sept. 11, 21 years ago, all the impact that this one single thing had played in all of our lives.”

Before Catagnus spoke, her daughter Madison, a third grade student with Pa. Cyber School, read 1 Timothy 1:12-17. Then Rebecca Catagnus offered her thoughts.

“The truth of the matter is that for those of us who lived through such a horrific and monumental experience such as 9/11, we have a duty to humanity to share our memories, our stories, how we lived through it, how we survived,” Catagnus said. “It is especially critical that we do so now, in the present, when the world we live in is driven by trends above tradition. It is fashionable to give glory to what glitters; what attracts the eye, what receives the most likes and uploads.”

Troxell has helped coordinate the 9/11 services since they started.

“My parents used to run the Southward Playground,” she said. “They have both since passed. It was a promise I made to my mother that I would never stop doing this. So as long as I have breath in me, I’ll be doing this.”

“Make a decision to never take one second of life for granted,” Troxell said. “Be kind. Love intensely. Work hard. Make every day count. God bless those who perished, God bless their families and friends, and God bless you.”