Anyone over the age of approximately 25 years-old in this country likely remembers the September 11, 2001 attack on buildings at the World Trade Center in New York City, at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., and the plane on the way to Washington, D.C. which was taken down in central Pennsylvania by U.S. passengers who willingly gave up their lives, did their duty to spare the country of additional grave consequences. Those passengers knew what had happened in the first two places and become heroes, even though that was not their collective mission.
There is a lesson for us all about heroes, compelling duty, and sacrifice, and about reacting properly when that rare time presents itself to be in the correct frame of mind and go beyond self for the greater good. We all must face important decisions on occasion and summon the courage to understand our roles and be in the right frame of mind. We must understand consequences if we do not react correctly.
We should be thankful for both the living and the dead who were involved in the September 11, 2001 attacks. The country is better off for the many heroes who were called. Some returned home and some did not return home. There were firemen and other helpers from our solid communities who answered the call and went to New York City and to the Pentagon outside of Washington, D.C.. Our thanks continue 17 years later. Those who come later should understand the sacrifices.
• Space limitations provide additional opportunities to pass along relevant information this week to our various communities. For example:
• The Village of Oswego government has been notified, and indeed passed it along, that there will be a nationwide test which will cause cell phone alarms to sound across the country at 1:18 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and The Federal Communications Commission will conduct a nationwide test of the Wireless Emergency Alert. Cell phones that are on and within range of an active cell phone tower should receive one text message. No action is required. Many of our readers will read this message after the fact. We received the information earlier this week.
• The Fall Small Fest at The Growing Place, 2000 Montgomery Road in Aurora, will be September 29-30. It will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30. The Growing Place is two blocks north of Ogden Avenue/Route 34 and Rush-Copley Medical Center.
• Mary Ochsenschlager writes to us: “A habitat restoration work day will be held at Bliss Woods Forest Preserve off of Bliss Road in Sugar Grove from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Sept. 22. The group will remove invasive species in a high-quality woodland.”
• Steve Chirico, Naperville mayor, and the Naperville City Council invite Naperville high school students to fill student positions on several City government boards and commissions. The deadline to apply is Monday, Sept. 24. Students who would like more information should contact Emy Trotz in the mayor’s office at 630-420-6018, or trotze@naperville.il.us.
• Hinsdale’s Graue Mill Flood Control Project was completed earlier this week. The project was a collaboration of governments in DuPage County, village of Hinsdale, Graue Mill Homeowners Association, and the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. The project protects against flooding near Salt Creek. The Graue Mill residents drove the solution and did great work, according to U.S. congressman Mike Quigley.
• The Little White School Museum in Oswego will hold a program on the worldwide influenza epidemic which killed more Americans during World War I than did Germans. The program will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22 at the Museum, 72 Polk Street.