From the time the precious metal arrived in Kitsap County, it has never spent a day or night alone. Like a fallen soldier, it must be guarded until it is laid to rest, some say.
At the Evergreen Rotary Park in Bremerton, there’s a spot reserved for a Kitsap 9/11 Memorial to honor those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001. That same spot, on a slanted hill that sits right above the water, is where two steel beams recovered from the World Trade Center site will be regenerated in a place of reflection. It will also be the final resting place for a piece of stone that came from the Pentagon wall.
“The beams are like a fallen service member. We’re escorting the beams until they get to their final resting place,” said Bill Castle, a 25-year Navy vet and 9/11 Memorial Project volunteer. “It’s an honor to have it here because it helps people remember the events that happened.”
Ever since the World Trade Center beams arrived on Aug. 22, dedicated volunteers from around the county have stepped up to ensure the sacred pieces are never alone. Partly for protection, but mostly for respect purposes, Castle said.
“They are hallowed by the blood of the people who are no longer with us,” said Roy Lusk, the memorial chairman. “It’s partially protection, but also for reverence.”
As the assistant chief of Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue (CKF&R), Lusk was contacted in 2009 by three volunteer fire officers who heard about World Trade Center artifacts that were available to government and non-profit agencies to display. The items were available through the September 11th Families Association and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The ports had stored steel pieces to be used in memorials around the world, states the Kitsap 9/11 Memorial Project website.
The fire rescue group was the third in the nation to be approved for the metal. Once approved, Lusk looked at 18 different sites around the county before settling on the Bremerton location.
Each part of the memorial will have a significant meaning, from the ginkgo trees (because of the plant’s resiliency) to the circular walkway (the exact circumference of the 767 airplanes that smashed into the towers), no detail was taken lightly, Lusk said. The thoughtful features were the product of a local architect firm and were confirmed by the airline industry and The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) for accuracy.
After hearing the news that the CKF&R was approved to receive the steel beams, they got to work with Leadership Kitsap to form a committee dedicated to creating a memorial that would honor victims and their families. All costs, labor and materials are paid for with donations making it a true community effort, Lusk said. On the construction site, the beams rest on the back of a semi truck adjacent to a tent where volunteers keep a watchful eye. A tent shades volunteers from the heat of the sun, and a variety of information sits on a table, including photos of the project’s progress and items for purchase that benefit the construction of the memorial.
Regardless of the hour, volunteers are always on site, including veterans who feel a sense of obligation to be present. Veterans like Bob Rothery who spent seven years in the Marine Corp and read about the memorial project on the internet.
He remembers exactly where he was on 9/11. He had just walked in from work and started watching the news with his wife. He turned to her and said, “a lot of my brothers and sisters are gonna die today,’” he remembers, talking about the first responders on the scene.
Rothery stands watch on the project, sitting on his motorcycle keeping an eye on the site. Even if it wasn’t volunteer-based, Rothery said he knows he would still stand watch on the project because of what it means to him.
“There’s an aura about that metal; you can feel it,” he said of the beams. “I’m very taken by what’s going on out here.”
Other volunteers who consider themselves patriotic residents have also chipped in their time and effort because of a similar dedication that veterans have.
David Raymond, co-coordinator for the 9/11 ceremony that will take place on the 12th anniversary, understands what Rothery means about the site. He’s been an active volunteer since day one and has been looking forward to coordinating the ceremony since 2009.
When the attacks happened, Raymond had planned a huge softball game to take place with community members, including many active duty military members for the Saturday post 9/11. The event was scheduled to host 36 teams. After the attack, military players disappeared and the event dwindled down to 12 teams. Raymond decided to host the game regardless of the shrinking numbers because he wanted to help show the community how to band together in the face of terror, he said.
“That was kinda our way of standing strong,” he said of the community.
Although his annual 9/11 softball games have fizzled out, his patriotism and dedication to remembering have not.
“I’m not a veteran, but I say I’m the most patriotic person that I know,” he said. “It was a life-altering event for everybody. Our lives are not the same today as they were on Sept. 10, 2001.”
Because the nature of the memorial can get a bit political, Raymond wants the community to be reminded that the construction of the site and the protection of the beams is anything but a political statement. On the day of the opening of the memorial, he hopes locals will be respectful and understanding of the significance of the entire process and service.
“I strongly believe that even though the actual physical events took place on the east coast, it (still) directly impacted every single American from that day forward,” he said. “This memorial itself and the ceremony is to reflect on the loss of life. It’s a memorial, it’s an equivalent of a funeral service and a memorial marker. We don’t want to get involved in the politics of it. People have different beliefs and we respect that…the ceremony is to memorialize the victims and heroes of that day.”