5 Years After 911
by Mitch Dudek
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Date: September 11th, 2006

Mayor Richard Daley has asked churches and other houses of worship to ring their bells at 7:46 a.m. Monday, the time the first plane struck the World Trade Center buildings on Sept. 11, 2001.

"I urge all Chicagoans, no matter what your ethnic or religious background may be, to remember what happened five years ago, to honor those who lost their lives, and to recommit ourselves to peace, understanding, tolerance and respect for humankind," Daley said.

A series of poems and stories that will explore the ideas of citizenship and immigration will be performed by Steppenwolf Theatre actors beginning at 6:30 p.m. in Millennium Park's Jay Pritzker Pavilion. The show, named "Citizens of the World," will be interwoven with songs performed by the Chicago Children's Choir.

Many suburbs also have memorials planned.

St. Luke the Evangelist Orthodox Church in Palos Hills has on display a 200-pound section of an I-beam that once helped support the weight of one of the World Trade Center buildings.

"Some people will come in the church and just weep for a while and then leave. We don't know who they are. They are not part of the congregation," said Rev. Andrew Harrison.

But that is part of why the beam is there, Harrison said. "Grief is a process. It takes a long time to work through," he said.

Harrison had contacted New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to ask for a piece of World Trade Center rubble to use as the cornerstone for a bell tower the church was building. Bloomberg's office called him several weeks later and offered the beam. Harrison drove to New York in a rented van. On the return trip, the beam was wrapped in an American flag in the back of the van.

Now the beam section serves as a candle-holder in the northern vestibule of the church at 10700 S. Kean Ave. A memorial liturgy will begin at 7 a.m. and a memorial program at 7 p.m. in the church.

Other Monday memorials:

Chicago

The City Hall lobby, 121 N. LaSalle St., will have a floral display and provide copies of the collected "Portraits of Grief" from the New York Times throughout the day.

1:30 p.m.: The Gold Star Families Memorial and Park, just east of Soldier Field along Lake Shore Drive, will officially open. The site commemorates the sacrifices made by Chicago police officers.

7 p.m.: Chicago Fire Department officials will gather at the Fallen Firefighters and Paramedics Memorial Park, south of McCormick Place East, 23rd Street and South Lake Shore Drive, for a candlelight tribute.

North

Lake Bluff

6 a.m. to 10 p.m.: Grace United Methodist Church, 244 E. Center Ave., will make its sanctuary and chapel available for those who wish to pray and reflect on 9/11.

Evanston

7:30 a.m.: Fire and police officials will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony, followed by a tribute by fire and police clergy and a ceremonial ringing of the fire bell at Fireman's Park, Simpson Street and Maple Avenue in Evanston. The rain location is Fire Station 1, 1332 Emerson St.

Skokie

8:58 a.m.: Fire Department personnel will gather at the flagpole of the town's three fire stations for a "Last Alarm" bell ceremony, followed by a minute of silence at 9 a.m. The fire stations are at 7424 Niles Center Rd., 8157 Central Park Ave. and 9024 Grosse Pointe Rd.Libertyville

6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.: The Libertyville High School Student Council will hold its 4th annual Sept. 11 flag vigil at Libertyville High School, 708 W. Park Ave. The four class presidents will carry a new flag to the pole at 7:30 a.m. and replace the existing flag. There will be a formal dedication of a plaque near the tree planted on the one-year anniversary.

Northbrook

8:50 a.m.: The 9/11 "We Will Remember" memorial will be held at Headquarter Fire Station, 740 Dundee Rd. Police and fire personnel will assemble at the flagpole for a remembrance.

Northwest

Hoffman Estates

6 p.m.: Mayor Bill McLeod and a local firefighter who traveled to New York City to help will speak at a memorial at Hoffman Estates Village Hall, 1900 Hassell Rd.

Des Plaines

8:45 a.m.: Members of Des Plaines Fire and Police Departments, as well as area veterans, will gather at the city's 9/11 Memorial Rock, 1420 Miner St., for a ceremony, wreath-laying and rifle salute.

Elgin

7 p.m.: King of Glory Lutheran Church, 36W720 Hopps Rd., will have a public memorial. For more information, call, 847-931-1520.Mt. Prospect

7 p.m.: "A Day of Commemoration, A Day of Celebration" concert will be held at Veterans' Bandshell at Lions Memorial Park, 411 S. Maple St. For more information, call 847-392-6000.West

Burr Ridge

7:30 p.m.: Burr Ridge United Church of Christ, 15W100 Plainfield Rd., will hold a prayer service commemoration. For more information, call 630-654-4544.Naperville

6 p.m.: Naperville fire and police officials will gather for a tribute at the town's 9/11 Memorial behind City Hall, 400 S. Eagle St. For more information, call 630-420-6034.Cicero

11 a.m.: Cicero police and fire officials, as well area veterans, will hold a 9/11 memorial in the Town Hall courtyard, 4937 W. 25th St. For more information, call 708-656-3600.

Darien

7 p.m.: The Indian Prairie Library, 401 Plainfield Rd., will show the movie "United 93." For more information, call 630-887-8760, ext. 239.

South and southwest

Orland Park

9 a.m.: Orland Park police and fire officials will gather in Orland Park United Methodist Church, 9955 W. 144th St., and at 9:20 a.m. will march along West Avenue to St. Michael Catholic Church, 14327 Highland Ave. A memorial service will be held there at 9:30 a.m. It will include bagpipers and playing of taps. A reception will follow. For more information, call 708-460-4597.

New Lenox

1 p.m.: Marion Blumenthal Lazan, a survivor of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, will speak at 1 p.m. in the New Lenox Public Library, 120 Veterans Pkwy., in a memorial observance. For more information, call 815-485-2605.

Park Forest

8:55 a.m.: A memorial service will be held at the flagpole in front of the Park Forest Fire Station, 156 Indianwood Rd. For more information, call 708-748-1112.