Union unveils 9/11 memorial and honors nine residents

The Township of Union on the eve of the 25th anniversary of September 11 unveiled a memorial honoring nine residents who died in the attacks and held a community remembrance ceremony.

"It is my honor to welcome you to the Township Of Union's 25th anniversary remembrance ceremony for September 11," the Moderator said as the program began, outlining the order of the evening and the role of the town’s police and fire honor guard. The ceremony included musical performances, the presentation of colors, readings of victims' biographies and the lowering of flags by the Union High School ROTC.

Families of the nine local victims were invited forward to unveil the monument. A program reader recited short biographies of the nine residents, beginning with Bella Bucan and continuing with entries stressing local ties and personal details. The program also displayed numeric totals for the national losses acknowledged that night: "40 lives lost on United flight 93, 187 at the Pentagon, and 2,763 at the World Trade Center," the Moderator said.

Officials and family members framed the memorial as a permanent reminder for coming generations. Commission, fire and police leaders joined elected officials and community groups onstage to pay respects and to underscore that the town will keep the names and stories of those lost in public memory.

The ceremony closed with a request that attendees visit the monument and a note of apology to families: three remembrance plaques did not arrive in time and a replica was placed for the unveiling. Organizer announcements also listed follow-up remembrance events to take place the next morning and over the weekend.