The town of Verndale, Minnesota holds a service every year to memorialize the day and commemorate those who lost their lives in the September 11th terror attacks.

“We lost so many lives. It’s important to remember those who gave their lives for our freedom on that day,” said Rachel Johnson, Technology Integrationist at Verndale School, who is also the coordinator for the memorial event.

“It’s important we say we would never want to forget. I think it’s important that we tell our story of what it was like when we experienced it,” said Nick Bunio, a music teacher at Verndale School.

The event begins with a parade as elementary students walk a couple blocks from the school to Verndale Park.

“They create some different banners and posters and flags. We want our kids to remember what happened back on September 11, 2001,” explained Verndale Superintendent Paul Brownlow.

Even though Verndale is a small town with less than a thousand residents, they get a big showing every year they do this memorial.

“We get a lot of community members to come out and join in in this remembrance kind of ceremony that we have,” added Johnson.

September 11th was designated by congress as The National Day of Service in 2009, inviting people to remember and pay tribute to the tragedy by giving back to their community.

“We ask our kids to go out to help, remember that they go out and help their neighbors, their grandparents, their parents so that they don’t forget this day,” explained Brownlow.

For the school, it is important to continue the tradition of the service to keep the memory going, even when the students attending were not alive when the tragedy took place.

“I think it’s important that we tell our story and try and relate to these kids of what happened, why it’s important,” added Bunio. “And that we continue to remember going forward.”

Even though we are approaching twenty years since the September 11th attacks, the victims, survivors, and the lives touched by the tragedy will never be forgotten.

Memorial services took place across the country today including one at the memorial plaza in New York City where the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers once stood.

By — Rachel Johnson

Lakeland News Lead Reporter