Many 9-11 events planned

One year following the vicious attacks of terrorists on the East Coast, residents from Southwest Nebraska and around the country will commemorate the fallen heroes in several ways.

Plans are being made in McCook, Palisade, Atwood and Eustis.

In McCook, Wal-Mart plans a memorial service at 8:30 a.m., Wednesday. A moment of silence will be observed at 8:42 a.m., to honor those who died in the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and for the passengers of Flight 93. The McCook High School Concert Band will then perform and local firefighters, law enforcement officers and military personnel will be honored.

McCook Christian Church and the McCook Nazarene Church will host a remembrance service at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday at McCook Christian Church, 329 N. Cherokee.

The service will remember those who died and hold out hope for those who live.

The Goldwing Motorcycle Club will be making a memorial motorcycle run from the East Casey's store in McCook to Cambridge. Anyone interested in making the trip should meet the group at East Casey's at 6:15 p.m. Each rider is asked to fly the flag on their bike for the trip. Non-members are encouraged to make the trip with the group.

The McCook National Bank will be serving members of the McCook Police Department and the McCook Fire Department an evening meal.

Students, faculty and staff at McCook Community College are encouraged to show their patriotism by wearing red, white and blue. The college will hold a short ceremony at noon, at the flagpole.

In Palisade, the American Legion Post 318, Post Family, Auxiliary Unit 318 and the SAL Squadron will present a special remembrance program at 1 p.m., at the Palisade school gymnasium.

Special guests will include the Palisade Fire Department, law enforcement officers from Hayes and Hitchcock counties, K-6 school students and families of young men and women serving in the military.

In memory of the tragic events of 9-11, 2001, the fire department will sound a siren in a single rise and fall for each of the crashes that occurred that day.

Eustis will host a ceremony at 10 a.m., Wednesday to remember the victims of the September 11 attack on America and to honor military personnel who have died in the fight against terrorism.

The ceremony will be at the high school.

The public is also invited to the Eustis Farnam Middle School's commemorative ceremony, at 8:30 a.m., in front of the school.

Rawlins County residents plan a September 11 remembrance program on the south lawn of the courthouse in Atwood.

Hillside Estates plans an open house, "Honoring the Spirit of Our Nation," on Saturday as the climax of a week of National Assisted Living Week, Sept. 8-14, which began with Grandparents Day on Sept. 8.

Willow Ridge retirement community in McCook also is conducting a week of September 11-related activities.