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Fire Department to remember fallen with Sept. 11 candlelight vigil

Date: 9/7/2010

Sept. 6, 2010

By Debbie Gardner

Assistant Managing Editor

EAST LONGMEADOW -- The East Longmeadow Fire Department will host its ninth annual Sept. 11 candlelight vigil in memory of those who lost their lives following the 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City and at the Pentagon beginning at 7:45 p.m. on the lawn of the fire station, located at 150 Somers Rd.

The event will take place in the fire station garage in the case of inclement weather.

"This is for everybody who needs this," Fire Chief Richard Brady told Reminder Publications. "Everybody is invited."

Brady said the annual service of remembrance has drawn "between 100 and 200 people" over the years. He reminded participants to bring a candle for the closing portion of the ceremony, which is timed to coincide with dusk.

Slated to make brief remarks at this year's ceremony are Rep. Richard Neal, State Sen. Gale Candaras, State Reps. Angelo Puppolo and Brian Ashe and Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, Paul Federici.

In addition, Lauran Beluzo, a ninth grade student at East Longmeadow High School and a member of the Dan Kane singers, will provide a musical interlude, Fire Chaplin Fr. James Scahill, pastor of St. Michael's church, will give the invocation and Hampden County Sheriff's Lt. Mark Goldberg, who traveled to New York City with his rescue dog to help in the recovery efforts following the attack, will speak briefly about his experiences.

"The whole service is probably 15 to 20 minutes," Brady said. "The focus is on the candlelight vigil (at the end)."

Brady said the fire department recently erected a banner that reads, "Let us not forget Sept. 11, 2001" on the station's lawn as a reminder to residents that the annual vigil is drawing near.

"It's a banner that we displayed for nine months after the attack," Brady said. "It will be on display until Sept. 11."



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