A symbol of remembrance

On the 15-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, the Elmont Public Library held a ceremony in its parking lot to pay tribute to those who lost their lives that day. The library unveiled a steel beam that was recovered from the north tower of the World Trade Center, which will serve as a memorial near the entrance.

Library board Vice President Gina Burnett said she hoped the beam would stir memories for families and friends of the victims. “As you come and you look upon it, may it also bring about unity,” Burnett said. “Unity in our communities, unity within our families, unity within our counties, unity within our state, and unity within the United States of America.”

Community members filled the parking lot where numerous government officials gathered to pay their respects as well. They included State Sen. Todd Kaminsky (D-Rockville Centre), State Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, County Legislator Carrié Solages (D-Elmont), Hempstead Town Councilman Edward A. Ambrosino and several members of the Elmont school board.

“We owe it to those who died that day to be the best we could be, to build back stronger communities, a stronger state and a stronger country,” Kaminsky said. “That’s what the Cub Scouts are doing here, that’s what our firemen are doing, and that’s what our police officers, our first responders, are doing every day.”

Also in attendance were veterans from American Legion Post 1033; members of the Elmont Fire Department; Nassau County’s director of veterans affairs, Ralph Esposito; Port Authority supervisor and first responder Jerry Biscardi; the Elmont Memorial Marching Band; the Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts of Elmont, and members of the Nassau County Police Department and its 5th Precinct. Some of the veterans and first responders recounted their memories of 9/11 and how proud there are for Elmont to have this memorial.

“I’ve been in this community for over 50 years, and I can tell you one thing — this is the greatest community I’ve ever lived in,” Esposito said. “We are so unified here, and all of our groups work together. This is a very diversified community and a very tight community, and I am so proud to be a part of it.”

The public library made plans to create the memorial four years ago, when Trustee Patrick Nicolosi contacted the World Trade Center to get the ball rolling, he said. Now that the steel beam is in place, Nicolosi said, he hopes future generations will view the memorial as a sign of strength.

“Terrorists want to end our way of thinking, they want to take away our freedoms, and we will not let that happen,” Nicolosi said. “Our first responders, our military, and the people of the United States will never let that happen.”

Kaminsky said that as the country looks back on 9/11 while viewing this memorial, people should strive to become better citizens and look out for one another. “Tomorrow, when we’re done dealing with this very challenging day and the tears are out of our eyes and we’re able to think clearly about our future, let us resolve to just be better,” he said. “Be better neighbors, be better members of our community and be better citizens.”

Keeping the future in mind, Carrié Solages stated that Elmont Memorial High School’s incoming freshman class would be the first grade to be taught about the 9/11 attacks as a historical event that occurred when they were not yet born.

“This is incredible to believe, because even as we acknowledge that this is the 15th anniversary, it never feels like it was that long ago,” Solages said. “It’s a reminder that while this day lives so fresh in the minds of so many of us, it is our responsibility to impart our memories to the younger generation so that their remembrance lives on.”