MONMOUTH COUNTY – To reflect and remember those who were lost, the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners will be holding a September 11 Memorial Ceremony at Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook at 460 Ocean Boulevard, Atlantic Highlands on September 11 at 8 a.m.
“As we approach the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Board of County Commissioners invite the families of those who lost their lives during this tragedy,” Commissioner Director Thomas A. Arnone said. “We will never forget what took place around the country on that tragic day, in particular, to the 147 families that lost loved ones who call Monmouth County home. We must continue to offer support to the families in any way possible.”
“Mount Mitchill is home to the Monmouth County’s 9/11 Memorial which is a tribute to the 147 men and women who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks,” Commissioner Ross F. Licitra, liaison to the Monmouth County Park System said. “The path leading to the memorial chronicles the events of that day and at the center is the light stone sculpture of any eagle by local artist Franco Minervini. This eagle grasps a beam from the World Trade Center. It is a fitting tribute and our way of honoring those who lost their lives that day.”
Monmouth County’s 9/11 Memorial sits on 12 acres and is at an elevation of 266 feet, being the highest natural elevation on the Atlantic seaboard (excluding islands) from Maine to the Yucatan. The Memorial overlooks Sandy Hook, Sandy Hook Bay, Raritan Bay and the New York skyline.
The Monmouth County 9/11 Committee formed in 2002 and made plans for a fitting tribute to the victims, heroes, and events of September 11. Their first job was to create a memorial to fit into Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook. Fundraising began in order to finance the Memorial and by midsummer 2005, the 9/11 Committee exceeded its goal and raised $296,000. They continue to receive donations for the upkeep and maintenance of the Memorial.
