A church in Vernon, N.J., will soon join dozens of other communities across the country by building a memorial to victims of the Sept. 11 attacks with a piece of World Trade Center steel serving as the centerpiece.
The national 9/11 Memorial will open next year at the World Trade Center.
According to a report on New Jersey.com, Rev. John Boland, the pastor of St. Francis De Sales Church, said: "People should be remembered. They are part of who we are and will always influence us."
St. Francis lost two of its parishioners on 9/11, Boland told New Jersey.com. The steel that will be used for the church's memorial is about 4 feet by 2 feet and has crosses cut into it. The crosses, which were cut out by firemen, were presented to various victims' families, according to the report.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which is building the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, is seeking proposals from public and city agencies and not-for-profit groups interested in acquiring a piece of 9/11 World Trade Center steel for public display. Tons and tons of WTC steel are being stored at a JFK airport hangar and pieces of the steel are being shipped nationwide.
By Michael Frazier, Sr. Communications Manager for the 9/11 Memorial