Photo credit: Photography by Don Regan, originally posted to Friends of Oswego Facebook
(Video Credit: Cre8 Studios, Oswego, NY)
OSWEGO, NY – Early this morning, exactly 14 years after our country was frightfully struck by terrorists, the city of Oswego took to the streets in remembrance of this day and all those it affected.
Christopher Jones, owner of Cre8 Studios and Friends of Oswego, organized the 9/11 Remembrance Day to take place at Breitbeck Park.
The event was created to commemorate the lives taken and the emergency responders that fearlessly answered their call to service on this tragic day in history and to simultaneously benefit the Oswego YMCA.
To start the Remembrance Weekend, Team RWB (Red, White and Blue) of Oswego; a local attachment to a national veterans running group, as well as members of the New York State Police Department, the Oswego City Police Department, Border Patrol and the Oswego City Fire Department participated in a short run through the city of Oswego.
At 5:00 p.m. tonight, the Remembrance Weekend will hold a Blue Mass Ceremony at Breitbeck Park.
This hour long ceremony is held to commemorate all the public safety field responders on September 11, 2001 that bravely offered their lives to their service and their country when responding to the terrorist attacks in NYC.
Reception starts at 4 p.m. and will include live music and a chicken barbeque to benefit the Oswego YMCA and Rotary. The barbeque will break in proceedings starting at 4:45 p.m. for the duration of the Blue Mass Ceremony and will continue at 6 until 8 p.m.
Many of the Oswego City public safety officers including members from the Oswego City Police and Fire departments will be in attendance in uniform at the Blue Mass Ceremony.
After the ceremony, these officers and emergency responders will change from their uniforms to athletic clothes to board their 40-foot-long dragon boats for a friendly competition in the first ever Heroes Challenge at Breitbeck Park.
Four dragon boats full of teams of 21 local emergency responders and public safety officers will race down Lake Ontario. After the first bout, the two winning boats will go head to head to crown the winning boat.
The Heroes Challenge will serve as a preview of Saturday’s event, Oswego YMCA’s Dragon Boat Festival.
The festival begins at 9 a.m., also at Breitbeck Park, and will feature 24 boats competing in a fun, friendly community event that is spectator friendly and offers food and beverage vendors.
The weekend will conclude on Sunday with a 9-11 Remembrance Run put on by Team RWB of Oswego.
Team RWB of Oswego is the local chapter of a national non-profit organization and the 9-11 Remembrance Run will be 9.11 Kilometers, or 5.66 miles throughout the city of Oswego.
“We feel this will be a one of a kind event to bring together the community and to remember those who have sacrificed their lives since the events of 9/11. We would also like to take the opportunity to honor our local police and firefighters,” said Team RWB Oswego Athletic Director, Kristen Smith.
The run is open to the general public with registration from 8 – 9 a.m. and a 9:30 a.m. start time from the East Side Fire Department.
With around 150-200 participants anticipated, the weekend will be sent off with a bang.
“Most importantly, we just want to encourage participation and community involvement,” said event coordinator, Christopher Jones. “We want people to come out and support their local law enforcement and service personnel and also support the Oswego YMCA.”
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It would have been wonderful if this was made known in advance so that the schools could have participated or even had people to line the bridge to show patronage for this ceremony. This showed a Wonderful display of respect.