9/11 remembered with ceremonies at VFW field

by Doug Boyer

On the 22nd anniversary of the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, community members of the Clearwater Valley came together for the 2nd annual Patriot Day ceremony to honor and remember the heroes of the fateful day who gave their all.

Twenty-five First Responders, high school students and other community members assembled at the VFW Memorial ball field in Orofino at 10:00 am this last Monday to read the names of the 498 First Responders who died on that day.

The ceremony was hosted by the Clearwater Valley Fire Districts Auxiliary, in cooperation with the Clearwater Valley Fire Districts & Departments, Orofino Police Department, Clearwater County Sheriff's Office, Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protective Association, Clearwater County Ambulance Service, Harold Kinne Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3296 and Auxiliary, Clearwater County Office of Emergency Management, and the students and faculty of Orofino Junior/Senior High School.

Jeff Jones from KLER radio was Master of Ceremonies as Harold Kinne VFW Post 3296 and Auxiliary presented the honor guard to include a First Responders prayer and a rifle salute. This was followed by Orofino High School music students Ashley Ott and Luke Dafoe, under the direction of Assistant Principal Kathleen Tetwiler performing the National Anthem and Taps.

Representing the various departments, districts, OJSHS, the Clearwater Valley Fire Districts Auxiliary and Harold Kinne VFW Post 3296, the 25 readers who each took time to read the names are as follows:

Orofino Police Department-Sgt. Michael Deitrick, Clearwater Valley Fire Districts Auxiliary-President Cheryl Jones, Orofino Fire Department-Chief Bart Jones, OJSHS Student-Trinity Duncan, Clearwater County Sheriff's Office-Chief Deputy Mike Gladhart, OJSHS Student-Coli Nazari, Clearwater County Ambulance Service-Jenna Walton, OJSHS. Student-Liya Maetche, Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protective Association-Chief Warden Kane Steinbruecker, OJSHS Student-Avery Johnson, Evergreen Rural Fire District-Firefighter Howard Weeks, OJSHS Student-Coli Nazari, Clearwater County Ambulance Service-EMT Teresa Violante, Sunnyside Rural Fire District-Firefighter Dave Loranger, OJSHS Student-Taylor Burrows, Clearwater Valley Fire Districts Auxiliary-Diane Barton, O.H.S. Student-Taylor Burrows, Clearwater Valley Fire Districts Auxiliary-Sally King, OJSHS Student-Aiden Olive, Twin Ridge Rural Fire District -Chief Glen Crockett, OJSHS. Student-Ashley Ott, Clearwater County Office of Emergency Management-Don Gardner, OJSHS Student-Hadlei Pederson, Grangemont Rural Fire District-Chief Fred Allen, and Harold Kinne VFW Post 3296-Commander Dave Owsley.

The ceremony was concluded with the playing of Amazing Grace on the bagpipes by Evergreen RFD firefighter Todd Stobie and a 15 second emergency vehicle siren salute.

Here are photos of some of the readers:
1. Harold Kinne VFW Post 3296 Commander Dave Owsley, 2. VFW member and Grangemont Fire Chief Fred Allen, 3. Don Gardner from Clearwater County Office of Emergency Management, 4. CVFDA member Sally King, 5. Twin Ridge Fire Chief Glen Crockett, 6. OJSHS Student Ashley Ott, 7. OJSHS Student Aiden Olive and 8. OJSHS Student Hadlei Pederson.