The Avon Volunteer Fire Department held it’s 18th Memorial Ceremony and honoring and remembering those who were lost on 9-11.

We would like to share today’s welcome message from the department President:

On behalf of the Avon Volunteer Fire Department I welcome you to our ceremony honoring those who had fallen both on that day 18 years ago and in the years since. We honor their courage, fortitude , decisiveness as well as their compassion, love and selflessness.

I am Michael Galliher, and I am honored to serve as President of the AVFD and to address you this morning.

The tragic events of 9/11 occurred 18 years ago today. Hard to believe that. Someone born on that day is now old enough to vote, they may be a high school graduate by now, possibly a freshman away at a college somewhere. They may be working at their first real job or trying to keep up with their training platoon at Paris Island.

For them, the sacrifice, love and courage shown that day has been shared with them. It is part of their life and something that they can reflect on. That is 18 years. A full generation.

It is up to us to honor that sacrifice, love and courage to ensure that the next generation knows well what happened that day and those days that immediately followed. It is up to us to educate the next generation that follows in such a way that it also becomes imperative on them to continue sharing our message with the generations that follow them. Thank you for attending today and helping to make that happen.