Orland Park holds Patriot Day commemoration with first responders, veterans and civic leaders

Dan Marsan, veterans program coordinator for the Orland Park Veterans Advisory Board, opened the Village of Orland Park's Patriot Day concert and commemoration on Sept. 11, introducing Mayor Jim Dodge and local trustees and explaining the event's purpose: to honor the nearly 3,000 victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks and the first responders who risked and lost their lives.

"Patriot Day is observed annually on September 11 in The United States to honor the nearly 3,000 victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks and the 1st responders who risked and lost their lives on 09/11/2001," Marsan said, noting the first Patriot Day observance was Sept. 11, 2002, following a congressional resolution and annual proclamations that recognized the day as one of service and remembrance.

Deputy Chief Larry Rafferty of the Orland Park Police Department thanked attendees for supporting law enforcement and recounted his own memories of that day, saying the response he saw then—acts of kindness and collective resolve—remains a defining moment. Fire Chief Pertill described how Sept. 11 reshaped public-safety training, interagency communication and preparedness, and honored those who later died from illnesses linked to service at Ground Zero.

The program included a firefighter bell ceremony led by firefighter-paramedic Nick Perez, a performance of the national anthem by the Orland Park Children's Choir and further selections by the Southwest Community Concert Band. Mayor Jim Dodge urged the community to teach younger generations about the nation's history and to recommit to unity and service.

Organizers closed the evening by thanking first responders, veterans and performers; the band continued to play selections that organizers said celebrate national unity.