Check out these articles in The Badger Herald and The Daily Cardinal covering the College Democrats and College Republicans coming together to commemorate the tragedy of September 11th:
Students commemorate Sept. 11
By Signe Brewster
Friday, September 11, 2009
Eight years after the coordinated hijacking and crashing of four American passenger planes, the University of Wisconsin and surrounding communities are coming together in remembrance of the 2,993 people lost in the Sept. 11 attacks.
Memorials on campus will be centered on Bascom Hill, where the day will culminate in a program at 7:30 p.m. hosted by College Democrats and College Republicans.
“We’re extremely ex-cited to be working with College Democrats,” said Crystal Lee, president of College Republicans. “We want students to not just think it’s another Friday on campus; we want them to step back when they see the memorial and remember all those lives lost on 9/11.”
According to College Democrats Chair Molly Rivera, the program will include a singing of the national anthem, introductory remarks by Rivera and Lee, a prayer and a moment silence, as well as a candlelight vigil.
“We aren’t always so divided that we can’t come together for stuff like this. [Sept. 11] shows there are events in our country that go beyond politics,” Rivera said.
Work for both clubs began at 5 a.m. today when they met on Bascom Hill to fix 2,993 flags into the ground – once for each life lost. The flags will stand until the memorial service tonight, which is open to all students and community members.
Lee said events like this will be happening on college campuses all over the country today. While the event has not always been co-hosted with College Democrats, she said she hopes the partnership continues in the future.
Other campus organizations have also been gearing up for individual memorial events. The Sigma Chi fraternity will be hosting its first annual charity BBQ in remembrance of Kevin Clearly, a former president of the chapter who worked on the 84th floor of Tower 2 of the World Trade Center.
The event runs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the fraternity’s house, 221 Langdon St., and all proceeds will go to the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund.
“We are so proud to be able to work with this wonderful organization. When we decided to hold this event, we were looking for an organization that college students could connect with and the Families of Freedom is a perfect match,” said Jake Langbecker, vice president of Sigma Chi, in a statement emailed to the Herald.
While multiple services will occur around Madison today, the Madison Police and Fire departments will host a morning-long session that will follow the minute-by-minute events of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Sirens will sound at 8:40, 9:03, 9:40 and 10:10 a.m. to commemorate the crash of each of the four planes. At 10:28, a siren will sound and Monona Terrace’s flags will be lowered to signify the collapse of the second tower.
“Everyone alike will be working together to remember those lives that were tragically lost,” Rivera said. “We’re just getting together and celebrating the United States.”
View article: http://badgerherald.com/news/2009/09/11/students_commemorate.php
Campus organizations unite to remember 9/11 victims
By Melanie Teachout
Friday, September 11, 2009In honor of those who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the College Democrats and the College Republicans are collaborating to hold a memorial ceremony on Bascom Hill Friday.
Both the College Democrats and the College Republicans feel their annual ceremony represents the country’s need to unite after such a tragic event.
“The event just shows there are some things that go beyond politics and even students that are actively involved in their separate political parties can work together,” Molly Rivera, chair of the College Democrats, said.
According to Crystal Lee, chair of the College Republicans, terrorism and the war on terror are issues that affect both parties.
“Attacks made on the United States’ soil represent attacks on the U.S. itself,” Lee said. “We need to band together and remember the innocent lives lost because of these tragic attacks.”
Students will be able to view flags scattered on Bascom Hill representing the lives lost in the Sept. 11 attacks before the actual ceremony.
The ceremony will begin at 7:30 p.m. with a short introductory speech from the chairs of the College Democrats and College Republicans, which will be followed by a spoken prayer, the national anthem, a moment of silence and a candle-lighting ceremony.
“It was such a significant day … Most people can remember the place they were when the event occurred,” Stephen Duerst, public relations chair of the College Republicans, said. “We are hoping that most students will just pause and reflect on the freedoms that we have and perhaps sometimes take for granted.”
UW-Madison is one of the only universities where the College Democrats and College Republicans collaborate for the remembrance event, which is part of a national campaign called “9/11: The Never Forget Project.”
View article: http://www.dailycardinal.com/news/campus-organizations-unite-to-remember-9-11-victims-1.438059
