With September 11, 2002 upon us, many organizations and municipalities are planning memorials to mark the first anniversary of the most horrific act ever committed on American soil. Planning such events has indeed proved difficult, for people need to mark the date in different ways. The Town of North Hempstead will mark the date with its own ceremony in front of Town Hall on the morning of September 11, 2002. The ceremony will be one from which everyone will be able to take something away.

As you may remember, the Town of North Hempstead recently unveiled our 9/11 Memorial at Clark Botanical Garden. The memorial is located in a quiet grove infused with the sounds of nature and is a perfect place for reflection. The ceremony-attended by the surviving family members of our heroes-was solemn, poignant and meaningful. There was no fanfare, and all things political hid that day.

Such is the dignity the Town wishes to preserve on the morning of September 11, 2002. The commemorative ceremony will take place on the steps of Town Hall (220 Plandome Road) and will begin promptly at 8:30 am. In conjunction with New York City's ceremony, two moments of silence will be observed at 8:45 a.m. and 9: 01 a.m., the times that each plane crashed into the World Trade Center. Selected poetry will be read and our elected officials will make brief comments Every resident of our Town is invited and encouraged to attend.

It is when we gather as a community that we are best able to feel each other's strength and share each other's hopes. On September 11, 2001, our nation, our community was attacked. Now, one year later, we come together to show that as one community we will continue to heal.

I encourage all to share in our ceremony of reflection. If you are unable to make it the morning of September 11, 2002, then I suggest you take a quiet moment of quiet reflection on the friends we lost and the strength we gained over the past year and sit on a bench at our memorial in Clark Gardens, Albertson.

For more information please feel free to call my office at 516-869-7700.