Lombard remembers 9/11 with silent procession
Sometimes silence can speak louder than words.
That will be the message Sunday evening in Lombard when residents are invited to observe the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 by participating in a silent procession.
Organizers say they believe the somber ceremony is one of the best ways to honor and remember those who lost their lives on that dreadful day.
The procession, led by the village’s police and fire honor guards, will move east on Maple Street from Elizabeth to Main and end at the Maple Street Chapel.
“I think that’s a really good choice,” the Rev. Emily Mellott of Calvary Episcopal Church said. “There’s not really that much that needs to be said, and the silent procession really witnesses to that. It’s about remembering and being there.”
Lombard’s places of worship, including Calvary, are being asked to ring their bells in conjunction with the event, which begins at 7 p.m. Sunday at the corner of Maple and Elizabeth streets.
Residents wishing to participate are encouraged to bring flashlights to light the way as the crowd follows members of the honor guards to the chapel.
“It’s been 10 years and memories fade and people, I believe, still need to be reminded and just reflect on what took place,” said Chris Brasile, a Lombard firefighter/paramedic and honor guard member. “For us to go ahead and lead in our village is important to get out front and let them see us still taking a tremendous amount of pride in remembering.”
The ceremony will bring back memories for Brasile and other honor guard members who ventured to New York a few weeks after the 2001 attacks to represent Lombard Local 3009 and stand guard at funerals of firefighters killed responding to the chaos.
“It just means everything to me as a sense of honor and pride and duty to volunteer my time,” he said about the honor guard role that some fire department members perform in addition to their full-time duties.
The observance will not be totally silent. Village President Bill Mueller is scheduled to speak and the Madrigal Singers from Glenbard East High School will provide music.
The program will take place inside Maple Street Chapel, a building that since 1870 has stood for all things good, said Ken Bohl, a Lombard resident who volunteers with the Maple Street Chapel Preservation Society.
“I think the chapel, and how long it has stood for goodness, offers comfort — a soft, gentle assurance that life and good things will go on,” Bohl said.
Extra space will be available next to the chapel in the multipurpose room of First Church of Lombard at 220 S. Main St., where audio and video of the ceremony will be provided.
The event will end as it starts — with silent dismissal of everyone in attendance.
“Time starts to heal, but this is more of a remembrance,” Brasile said about the event. “It’s a memorial in its truest sense.”
Lombard’s Sept. 11 Remembrance
<B>When:</B> 7 p.m. Sunday
<B>Where: </B>Procession starts at Maple and Elizabeth streets; ceremony in Maple Street Chapel and First Church of Lombards multipurpose room, 220 S. Main St.
<B>Who:</B> Sponsored by the village; procession led by Lombard fire and police honor guards
<B>Cost:</B> Free
<B>Info:</B> (630) 620-5718