Several local events planned to mark 9/11 anniversary
Three-hundred American flags wave in the breeze as part of the 9/11 Honor & Serve Foundation and the Field of Honor Rally Project's fundraiser for Heroes and Horses and The Paladin Conservancy. The display is located at Wrangler Springs Ranch, 6850 Montana 35 in Bigfork. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
The Flathead Valley will mark the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks during a number of events Saturday.
The events will serve to remember those who perished in the terrorist attacks as well as those who gave their lives in service to the United States during the War in Afghanistan.
Freedom Walk
The Kalispell American Legion Post will hold a Freedom Walk beginning at 8:45 a.m. at the Post, located at 363 4th Ave. EN. They will carry the colors and march to Depot Park for a short commemorative ceremony.
Wayfarers day of service
Flathead Lake State Park will host a day of remembrance at the Wayfarers Unit in Bigfork.
The event will run from 10 a.m. to 12:30 pm. It is free, open to the public and geared for all ages.
Attendees are invited to participate in various service projects to maintain the park for the community, including trail improvements. Participants should wear proper outdoor work attire and gloves. Some work gear, water and snacks will be provided.
Those interested should RSVP by contacting Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks at william.stout@mt.gov or by calling the ranger station at 406-837-3041.
Dayton honors first responders
In remembrance of the many lives lost during the 9/11 attacks, the Dayton Volunteer Fire Department and Quick Response Unit will honor all first responders at the Dayton Daze community celebration on Saturday, including firefighters, emergency medical personnel and law enforcement. A parade begins at 2 p.m.
Dayton Park will be set up with craft booths, kids’ games, silent auction and other activities that will be offered throughout the day.
Bigfork Honor and Serve program
The day’s events will wrap up at the Wrangler Springs Ranch in Bigfork for the 9/11 Honor and Serve Foundation’s memorial ceremony. It begins at 4 p.m.
In addition to remembering those who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the foundation also memorializes the four victims of the Benghazi, Libya, terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2012.
The gathering is free and open to the public. There will be patriotic music, mounted and military veteran flag presentations, honor guard and rifle team, along with guest speakers. In addition, there will be a special presentation by the Commissioning Committee of the U.S.S. Montana.
After the ceremony, there will be complimentary food and drinks.
“We welcome everyone and we do it so no one will forget what happened,” Doug Averill said.
The event will also serve as a fundraiser for two Montana-based charities, Heroes for Horses and Paladin Conservancy.
Heroes for Horses is a nonprofit, Montana-based organization that helps combat veterans recover from physical and psychological war wounds through their healing program that combines horsemanship, ranch work and backcountry survival techniques.
The Paladin Conservancy is an organization founded to immerse the community and younger generations in all aspects of a working Montana ranch.
A feature of this year’s program will be an honor-ringing of the ship’s bell that will be aboard the future USS MONTANA, a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine that will join the Navy fleet in 2022. The bell is currently on tour throughout Montana.
The ranch is located at 6850 Montana 35.
Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.