Area plans commemorative services
Senior Pastor Andy Allen of Landrum First Baptist Church expects a particularly somber crowd Sunday, Sept. 11 as the church and surrounding communities commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

“As I have planned this service and as I have gone back to a lot of videos of that day – photos of the planes hitting the towers – the emotions came back,” Allen said. “We need to be reminded of those emotions. We don’t want to recreate fear in people, but we don’t want to forget the sacrifice that was made by a lot of good people.”

Organizers of the Tryon Remembers event also hope to turn residents’ focus to honoring those who gave their lives and ensuring that they do not forget the events of that day.

Tryon will host a two-day music event in Rogers Park to commemorate the anniversary. Music will run from 4-10 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10 and from 2-5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept 11. Five groups will be featured with music ranging from popular tunes and light rock and roll to jazz covers and original takes, including ensembles from solo voice to the 22-piece ensemble Big Band Ol’ 74.

The event will include a reading by actress Patti D’Arbanville (“Sopranos,” “Rescue Me,” etc.), who at the time of the 9/11 attacks was married to NYC fireman Terri Quinn and whose mother then lived in Tryon. D’Arbanville will read letters she wrote to her mother detailing what impact the 9/11 event had on D’Arbanville’s family and the city.

There will also be a 100-bird white dove release on Sunday.

For Allen, a firefighter, recognizing this event in the country’s history is particularly personal.

“I’ve been a firefighter since 1990 and always had a love for the fire service. And of course knowing what went on then and with all of the first responders that gave their lives in that instance, it really hit close to home for me,” Allen said.

Landrum First Baptist formally invited city leaders and the community to the special 9/11 memorial service in August. The church has also invited U.S.v Representative Trey Gowdy and Sen. Lindsey Graham.

The Landrum First Baptist service, Allen said, will focus on worshipping God, while remembering all that happened the day of the attacks and the weeks following.

It will include a video collage of the images of that day and a few days following, a bagpiper will play during a portion of the service and a bell-ringing ceremony will be held for those emergency personnel who gave their lives. The service will also honor local service individuals.

Holy Cross Episcopal Church will remember the terrorist attacks at 8:30 a.m. and again at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Tryon Police and Fire Department personnel will participate as the church honors their sacrifice and service to the community. Special music will include bagpiper Kevin Brode, Rex Gallatin on the French horn, soprano soloist Wanda K. May and the Holy Cross choir and organist.

“As you look back on it there were a lot of very positive things that came out of that event,” Allen said. “After 911 you saw American flags everywhere and patriotism really seemed to be at an all-time high. People really started to realize that it’s not all about me, and faith played a big part in that as people began to turn inward and begin to ask a lot of deep questions.”

Allen said churches everywhere saw a spike in attendance because many people were afraid and were seeking faith answers.

“It will first and foremost be a worship service to allow people to worship God and recognize his control in the midst of that chaos and of current chaos,” Allen said.

The patriotism, the working together, the faith – all of those things need to continue, he said, especially with people losing hope in an ever down turning economy.

“People need to remember that we are still one country under God,” Allen said.