HACC invites the public to 20^th Anniversary Commemorative Event and to sign up for virtual remembrances HARRISBURG, PA. – HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, will honor the valiant efforts of the fallen and living heroes of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City, New York; Washington, D.C.; and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, during a 20^th Anniversary Commemorative Event on Sept. 11, 2021.
 
The public is invited to join this solemn occasion at the 9/11 Memorial on the grounds of HACC’s Senator John J. Shumaker Public Safety Center (PSC). Social distancing and face coverings are required.
 
The ceremony will start at 8 a.m. with the posting of the colors by the American Legion Post 730 Honor Guard. The PSC grounds will be open from 7:30-11 a.m. for tours.
 
Special recognition will be given to the Pennsylvania Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue Team who were among the first responders from Pennsylvania deployed to the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, after the attack that destroyed the twin towers. Many of these heroes are graduates and past or current HACC employees.
 
Speakers will include Randy Padfield, director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, former PSC director and Pennsylvania Task Force 1 leader who participated in the rescue and recovery mission at Ground Zero, and Jim Green, director of the PSC’s emergency management services education and training unit.
 
In addition, 343 flags will be placed around the PSC track surrounding the memorial in recognition of each of the firefighters from the Fire Department of New York who perished in the rescue and recovery efforts. Now through midnight on Sept. 11, twin beams pointing skyward will be lit at night as a symbol of the fallen towers.
 
The centerpiece of HACC’s 9/11 Memorial is a 12-by-4-foot steel beam from the rubble created by the collapse of the twin towers after the terrorist attacks. The beam was given to HACC by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. This memorial acknowledges all those who responded to the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center; the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and the crash of Flight 93 in Shanksville.
 
Visitors should enter the PSC grounds at Gate 5 off Industrial Road, Harrisburg, PA 17110. Additional parking is available at Gate 4. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held in the indoor firing range at the Senator Jeffrey E. Piccola Law Enforcement Complex.
 
Invitation to Virtually Join Additional Events
HACC’s Student Involvement Department is sponsoring the following opportunities for all:
 
9/11 Memorial & Museum On-Demand Virtual Tour: Available through Sept. 18.
This opportunity will cover key spaces at the memorial and museum. Pre-registration is required: https://forms.gle/Ti5hGheXbekx3AME8
 
In the Shadow of the Towers: Sept. 8 at 6 p.m.
When the Twin Towers were attacked on Sept. 11, 2001, students had just started their day at Stuyvesant High School a few blocks away. Through intimate conversations with eight individuals who were there, this documentary and discussion offers a unique perspective on that tragic day. To attend: https://hacc.zoom.us/j/94789644904
 
Photo Caption: The 9/11 Memorial at HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, is dedicated to all who served with honor and bravery and to those who lost their lives as a result of the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
 
About HACC
HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, is the first and largest of Pennsylvania’s 15 community colleges. HACC offers approximately 100 career and transfer associate degree, certificate and diploma programs to approximately 15,350 students. Also, the College serves students at its Gettysburg, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon and York campuses; through virtual learning; and via workforce development and continuing education training. For more information on how HACC is uniquely YOURS, visit hacc.edu. Also, follow us on Twitter (@HACC_info), follow us on Instagram (@HACC_edu), like us on Facebook (Facebook.com/HACC64) and use #HACCNews.