LIVERMORE FALLS — A ceremony to remember those who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and in the wars that followed will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Union Park.

Donald Simoneau, commander of the George Bunten Post No. 10 American Legion, said 2,753 people lost their lives at and around the World Trade Center in New York City after planes hijacked by terrorists crashed into the skyscrapers. A total of 343 firefighters, 23 police officers and 37 members of the Port Authority Police Department died there.

Another 184 people died in a separate attack on the Pentagon, and 40 passengers died on another flight hijacked by terrorists that crashed in Pennsylvania. In the war on terrorism that followed, 4,424 servicemen and women died in Iraq, while 31,951 were wounded. Another 2,215 died in Afghanistan with 20,030 were wounded, Simoneau said.

“That’s what it’s about is taking time to remember those people,” Simoneau said. “Those numbers scare me.”

There will be prayers and a moment of silence for those who died. The Fire Department will ring five bells, which signifies the death of a firefighter. Simoneau said he hoped to have a candlelight vigil at the end of the ceremony as well.

The ceremony will be held rain or shine. Many representatives of area police and fire departments, other emergency responders and veterans organizations will be present.

The project to refurbish the 1897 cannon in Union Park will not be completed in time for the Sept. 11 ceremony.

Simoneau said that after Veterans Day, it will be taken into a shop to have steel work done, including grinding, chipping and rewelding the carriage. A coat of paint will be added.

“It will not be grey,” he said. “We’re going to put it back to the original olive drab as much as we can.”

The cannon will be finished and back in the park in time for Memorial Day events next year.

Simoneau has been working on the project for more than a year.

“I asked selectmen about doing something,” he said. “It was about to fall over.”

At the time, the wheels and new flagpoles for Main Street were slated to cost a combined $4,500-$6,000.

“I quickly realized those weren’t the wheels that were going to go on it,” Simoneau said, because they were so deteriorated they needed to be replaced.

The new concrete base for the cannon was completed with donations from Tim Fournier from Livermore Falls for excavation and gravel and Livermore Concrete for the concrete base, Simoneau said. Dwayne Pratt volunteered to do the welding to mount the new stub axles and the wheels, with help from Fournier.

Simoneau raised $9,383.93 for the project to date.

“It’s called sitting on the side of the road, begging,” he said when asked about his fundraising methods.

Twenty-three businesses and people donated $100 or more “from as far away as Massachusetts and Connecticut,” Simoneau said.

He has $1,011 available for work on the cannon with $750 still needed for final repairs.

Donations can be sent to American Legion Post 10, 17 Reynolds Ave., Livermore Falls, ME 04254. Write “Cannon”  in the memo line of a check. Otis Federal Credit Union has an account named Cannon Account of Post 10 for people to make donations to the project.

bmatulaitis@sunmediagroup.net

Twin Cities 9/11 ceremonies

In Lewiston-Auburn, fire stations in both cities will host commemorations of the terrorist attacks on the United States on Sept. 11, 2001.

The Auburn Central Fire Station on Minot Avenue will host a ceremony from 8 to 9:30 a.m., featuring a meet and greet and brief speeches by the Auburn fire chief, police chief and mayor.

The Auburn Fire Honor Guard will perform a short ceremonial routine in recognition of their fallen brothers and sisters at 8:46 a.m. — the time the first hijacked plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.

Commemorations move to the Walton Elementary School at 8:45 a.m. with an assembly around the flagpole to honor heroes past and present. Students will share how they will make this world a better place. Auburn Fire Engine 2 from New Auburn will be at the ceremony.

Lewiston Fire Department hosts its commemoration with a bells ceremony and remembrance for 9/11 victims at its Central Station, 2 College St. The ceremony begins with a brief statement by the fire chief and a moment of silence at 9:58 a.m.

Station bells will ring at 9:59 a.m., the time of the World Trade Center South Tower collapsed. Remarks by the mayor and Fire Department chaplain will follow. 

The public is welcome to the ceremonies.

The Auburn Fire Department will host a blood drive from 1 to 6 p.m. at Central Fire Station on Minot Avenue. Appointments are encouraged and can be made by calling 207-333-6633, ext. 2, emailing ekeene@auburnmaine.gov or logging on to www.redcrossblood.org and entering sponsor code “AFD.”

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