Reflecting on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks
Dear Skidmore Community,
Tomorrow, on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, we pause to reflect on a day
of immense tragedy in our nation’s history, and to remember the nearly 3,000 lives
lost on Sept. 11, 2001, at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in Shanksville,
Pennsylvania.
These individuals we remember are our fellow citizens, family members, friends, and
personal heroes. We honor not only those we lost on 9/11, but the tens of thousands
of men and women who courageously assisted with the massive rescue, relief, and recovery
effort at Ground Zero; those who have died from or are suffering from 9/11-related
illnesses; and our military members who answered the call to serve or continued their
service after the attacks.
So many of us remember where we were on that fateful day, how we felt, and how our
nation and our local communities came together with such strength and compassion.
The impact of the 9/11 attacks was felt around the world, and the lives of members
of our own Skidmore community — alumni, faculty, staff, students, and parents — were
changed forever. A classroom in Bolton Hall is named in honor of alumnus Frank Reisman
’82, who was lost in the attacks.
It is important to bear in mind that the 9/11 attacks were part of extremely complex
global struggles that have long and complicated histories, with injustice and suffering
for many. On this day we remember with compassion all those who suffer and struggle
as a result of this horrific day in our nation's history.
As we take this time to reflect and remember, please keep in mind that our Skidmore
community is here to support you. Students are encouraged to reach out to the Skidmore Counseling Center for support and services. Faculty and staff seeking support may call the Employee
Assistance Program (EAP) at 518-793-9768 or 1-800-734-6072.
For those who would like to gather safely with others on this day of remembrance,
some downtown Saratoga Springs commemorations include:
- At 8:30 a.m. Saturday, a Commemoration and Remembrance Ceremony will be held at the Tempered by Memory sculpture in High Rock Park. Professional golfer and CBS Sports broadcaster Dottie Pepper will be the master of ceremonies, and Frank G. Hoare, retired from the U.S. Army Reserve, will be the keynote speaker. Attendees are asked to arrive by 8:15 a.m.
- Starting at noon Saturday, the Saratoga-Wilton Elks Lodge No. 161 will commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11 with a parade, “Honoring Our First Responders,” down Broadway. It will honor not only local first responders who went to New York City to assist with search and rescue efforts after the Twin Towers fell, but also our community’s first responders who have been at the forefront of the local response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including medical personnel, public health officials, law enforcement members, and emergency services personnel.
This chapter in our history — like the pandemic and so many other tragedies we have
experienced — has shown us the power of resilience and community, as well as the truly
interconnected, global world in which we all live. As Martin Luther King Jr. memorably
pronounced, “all life is inter-related. All are caught in an inescapable network of
mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects
all indirectly. This is the inter-related structure of reality.”
As we remember the 9/11 tragedy, we will continue to support one another as we carry
these lessons into the future.
Sincerely,
Marc C. Conner
President