The day President John F. Kennedy was killed, Nov. 22, 1963.
Neil Armstrong’s first step on the moon, July 20 1969.
Sept. 11, 2001.
There are days when Americans know exactly where they were when these events touched their lives.
It’s been 15 years since terrorists high-jacked four jetliners to crash three in New York City and Washington, D.C., while the fourth crashed outside Shanksville, Pa. And while Sedona is thousands of miles away, a new memorial pays tribute to the nearly 3,000 lives lost during one of the country’s darkest days.
Plans are being finalized for the 9/11 memorial dedication set for Sunday, Sept. 11 at noon at Sedona Fire District Station 6. There, the official unveiling of the memorial plaza — featuring a 2,900-pound girder that came from one of the Twin Towers — will take place. Nearly $88,000 was raised through the efforts of the 9/11 Memorial Committee, which will cover the cost of the plaza as well as the dedication ceremony. A light lunch will be served free of charge to the public followed at 1 p.m. by guest speakers.
“Getting to this point is almost surreal,” SFD Chief Kris Kazian said. “This concept has been in the works for a long time, yet once we really got started, nearly $90,000 was raised and we have completed the memorial on time and it looks amazing.
“We are very appreciative for the hard work that went into making this all possible. In addition, all of the generous donors who stepped up and made this project a reality is pretty amazing.”
The idea of a 9/11 memorial in Sedona was the brainchild of Sedona City Councilman Scott Jablow, who at the time was a member of the SFD governing board. Two years ago he contacted the foundation that distributed the girders and at first was turned down. But last summer he got word that there was a girder available and he welcomed the opportunity to bring it here.
“I’m so proud of the generosity of the people and businesses of Sedona as well as those from the surrounding areas,” he said. “It wouldn’t have happened without them. The fact that we funded this 100 percent and without any taxpayer dollars says a lot for all of those who helped pay for this.”
Jablow said he knew the project would be funded but he was more concerned about the time frame since they only had a little more than a year to raise the amount needed.
“In the beginning it was tough going,” he said. “But once the word got out and people began talking about it and contacting us, they all wanted to be part of it. What made this even more special was that a lot of people gave $5, $10, $20. It wasn’t like I got one check for $50,000. I was hoping to do that but the fact that this many people came out to help makes it even better.”
The largest donations of $5,000 came from Safeway and the Gary Sinise Foundation, which raises money for military personnel as well as first responders. Jablow said once they came aboard, by using that foundation’s name it helped open the door for other larger donations. Those companies donating $2,500 included Amtrust Bank, OneAZ Credit Union and Suddenlink.
“The Gary Sinise Foundation is proud to support the Sedona 9/11 Memorial,” Executive Director Judith L. Otter wrote in an email to the Sedona Red Rock News. “We hope this memorial will stand as a constant reminder of the many sacrifices made and the many lives lost on that tragic day. Our hearts go out to their loved ones. Thank you again for allowing us to be a part of such a special occasion.”
Jablow, along with his fellow committee members — David Soto, Kyle Jablow, Wendy Tanzer and Dennis Burke — ended up raising more than they could have anticipated. The bid for the memorial went to Joel DeTar of DeTar Construction for $62,000, which was half of the next closest bid.
As for the finished product, Jablow said, “It’s really awesome. Just seeing everything up, especially when the lighting is on, is really impressive. I couldn’t be happier.”
Kazian agreed.
“The memorial is breathtaking and truly more spectacular than I could have ever dreamed of,” he said.
