DuPage County observes Sept. 11

It is a day we wish never happened.

It is a day we wish we could forget.

But it is a day we will always remember.

Observances are scheduled across DuPage County today to mark the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Addison

The Addison Fire Protection District and Addison Police Department participate in a ceremony at 1 p.m. at Addison Trail High School, 213 N. Lombard Road. Illinois State Fire Marshal Larry Matkasitis is the keynote speaker. The commemoration includes a procession of police and firefighters, bell ceremony and bagpipers. Info: (630) 628-3100.

Ÿ Sunny Place Church of God holds a memorial service at 6 p.m. at 901 E. Oak St. Info: (630) 530-1830.

Aurora

A 9/11 10th Anniversary Remembrance Service is held by Springbrook Community Church at 10 a.m. at Fisher Middle School, 1305 Long Grove Drive, Aurora. Daniel Walisiak, whose fiancee perished in the World Trade Center South Tower, shares his journey of loss and healing. Info: (630) 355-9590 or springbrookchurch.org.

Bensenville

The Bensenville Library will host “Libraries Remember” and will be open for 24 hours. The library will be sponsoring many hands-on activities including one to benefit Helping Hands between 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Guests will put together emergency bags of items for victims of fires that will be donated and will include travel-sized items such as shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrushes, soap and hair brushes.

Bloomingdale

Bloomingdale Church holds an annual service that honors police and firefighters who arrive in a silent parade at the front drive of the church at 8 p.m. at 264 Glen Ellyn Road. Info: (630) 894-0090.

Carol Stream

A steel section from the World Trade Center will be dedicated as a memorial to the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks during a ceremony at 8 a.m. at Glenbard North High School, 990 Kuhn Road. The keynote speaker will be Roger Burgess, assistant principal at Wheaton Christian Grammar School. Burgess taught Todd Beamer, who became known for his heroic actions on United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed in Shanksville, Pa. The event also will feature the Carol Stream Fire and Police Honor Guard and the Glenbard North Band and Gold Tone Choir, accompanied by bagpipers from the Carol Stream fire and police and Chicago fire departments.

Darien

Darien-Woodridge Fire District unveils and dedicates an I-beam taken from the World Trade Center collapse at a ceremony at 8:45 a.m. at the fire station, 7550 Lyman. A moment of silence is observed at 8:59 a.m., the exact time the first building (the south tower) collapsed. A Darien resident who was in the south tower when it was struck by the jet also speaks. The memorial will be on permanent display at the fire station. Info: (630) 910-2207 or (630) 514-1693.

Glendale Heights

The village observes Patriot Day with a silent parade of police and fire vehicles and a candlelight service at 7:15 p.m. at village hall, 300 Civic Center Plaza. For details, call the mayor’s office at (630) 909-5302 or visit glendaleheights.org.

Ÿ U.S. flags decorate the front yards of every home, business and park in the village to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in a project supported by GlenOaks Hospital and local officials. Shortly after the attacks 10 years ago, the village of Glendale Heights posted flags around neighborhoods and commercial areas as a show of solidarity following the attacks at the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

Glen Ellyn

The Glen Ellyn Volunteer Fire Company will host a candlelight vigil to honor those lost on Sept. 11, 2001, at 7:08 p.m. at Station No. 1, Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.

Ÿ Baet-ul-Jaamay mosque, 2S510 Route 53, will hold a blood drive from noon to 5 p.m. as part of Muslims for Life, a nationwide campaign led by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community that seeks to gather 10,000 units of donated blood during September to honor the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. An interfaith discussion from 2 to 4 p.m. with prayers by Islamic, Christian and Jewish leaders will accompany the blood drive.

Itasca

The Itasca Police Department, Itasca Fire Protection District and Itasca VFW Post 5167 will conduct a memorial service at 4:30 p.m. at Usher Park, Irving Park Road and Walnut Street. Info: (630) 773-0835 or itasca.com.

Lisle

The annual DuPage Day of Service and Remembrance is planned for 11 a.m. in the Thornhill Education Center at the Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53. The ceremony will include music, speakers and the presentation of a video titled “Everyday Heroes in DuPage County.” The event is being organized by the Morton Arboretum, Giving DuPage and DuPage County. Space is limited and reservations are required. To sign up to attend, visit dupagedayof remembrance.eventbrite.com. Attendees are asked to bring a nonperishable food donation for the Northern Illinois Food Bank to the event.

Ÿ Benedictine University holds “A Day of Remembering, Healing and Forgiving” beginning at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, in the quad on campus, 5700 College Road. The day will include remembrances of the 9/11 attacks, the Oklahoma City bombing and the 1983 bombing of American and French military housing in Lebanon. Info: (630) 829-6090.

Ÿ St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church holds a prayer service at 4 p.m. at church, Kingston Avenue and Front Street, Lisle. Info: (630) 963-4500 or sjalisle.org.

Lombard

The Lombard fire and police honor guards will lead a silent procession at 7 p.m. heading east from Elizabeth Street and Maple Avenue to the Maple Street Chapel at Maple and Main Street, with extra space provided in the multipurpose room at First Church of Lombard. A brief ceremony to honor victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and those who helped in the aftermath will be held in the chapel with a speech from Village President Bill Mueller, music by the Glenbard East Madrigal singers and a “last call” ringing of the fire bell.

Naperville

Naperville native Cmdr. Dan Shanower and others killed in the attacks are honored at a ceremony at 1 p.m. at the Sept. 11/Cmdr. Dan Shanower Memorial behind the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St. Retired U.S. Navy Admiral Richard Porterfield, whom Shanower served under as a senior officer, is the keynote speaker. The Exchange Club of Naperville also hosts a flag-raising ceremony along Jackson Avenue. Jackson, from Eagle to Webster streets, is a no-parking zone from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. Two World War II search lights representing the World Trade Center’s Twin towers that fell during the attacks are on display from dusk to 11 p.m. behind the municipal center.

Ÿ One Naperville Project and Naperville Interfaith Association hold “9/11 Community Event: Remember, Release, Renew” at 4 p.m. in North Central College’s Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave. Includes family art projects to promote tolerance and compassion; an introduction to the Charter of Compassion; and readings, poems, music and reflections by people of different faiths. At 6 p.m. participants proceed from Wentz Hall to the Riverwalk amphitheater for closing songs, readings and meditations. Info: (630) 355-1748.

Oak Brook

A ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. at the Oak Brook Public Library, 600 Oak Brook Road. The event includes speeches by village officials and local clergy, as well as a moment of silence and the lowering of the American flag to half-staff.

Oakbrook Terrace

The Salvation Army Oakbrook Terrace Corps holds a memorial service at 2 p.m. at Heritage Park, 1S325 Ardmore Ave. The event also includes lunch served from 1 to 3 p.m., family games and music by the Salvation Army Brass Band. Free. Info: (630) 808-4165.

Roselle

Countryside Funeral Home and Roselle American Legion Post 1084 will sponsor a Freedom Walk at 3 p.m. The walk is part of a nationwide Freedom Walk effort being hosted by the national network of veteran and family memorial care funeral homes. It will depart from Countryside, 333 S. Roselle Road, and head to the American Legion post, 344 E. Maple Ave. At the post, a ceremony will include a color guard, remarks by the Roselle village president and police chief, flag-folding and a bugle performance. For details, call (630) 529-5751.

Villa Park

A ceremony is held during Oktoberfest at noon at Lions Park, 320 Wildwood. Dennis Geiseman, commander of VFW Post 2801, is the keynote speaker. The Royal Airs Sr. Exhibition Drum and Bugle Corp perform, and Villa Park resident Nora Moriarty sings “God Bless America.” Info: (630) 834-8525.

West Chicago

Remembering 9/11: A West Chicago Observance begins at 6 p.m. in Reed-Keppler Park, 129 W. National St. The event includes West Chicago police and firefighters and military members reading short essays written by residents against a backdrop of photos of the events of Sept. 11, 2001, as well as the dedication of a new memorial sculpture. For details, visit westchicago.org.

Wood Dale

Wood Dale VFW Tioga Post 2149 holds a memorial service at 11 a.m. at Wood Dale’s Veterans Memorial on Irving Park Road. Info: (630) 766-0334.