JJC to Host 13th Annual 9/11 Tribute

Joliet Junior College will host its 13th annual Tribute to 9/11 to honor survivors, first responders and those who lost their lives in the 2001 terrorist attacks. 

The ceremony starts at 8:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11 at the Alumni Bell Tower on Main Campus, followed by a reception and refreshments in the Cafeteria. Main Campus is located at 1215 Houbolt Road in Joliet.

All first responders, veterans, families, friends and the public are invited to attend the memorial.

The event begins with the arrival of the Patriot Guard Riders, followed by the presentation of colors by the Joliet Police Department and Joliet Fire Department Color Guards and lowering of flags to half-staff by the JJC Police Department. The Will County Sheriff’s Rifle Squad will then provide a 21-gun salute. The ceremony will also include a rendition of America the Beautiful by JJC’s Phil Spencer and Herb Alexander, a tolling of the bell, TAPS performed by the JJC Music Department and music by the Joliet Fire Department Pipes and Drums. 

 “For those of us who are old enough to remember, September 11 was a day that will remain in our hearts forever,” said JJC Police Chief Pete Comanda. “It was a day that impacted not only the present, but also the future of this nation.  It is critical that we as Americans never forget this date, as a tribute to all who died and who risked their lives, but also so that we remain vigilant regarding similar threats in the future.”

The tribute began in 2006 at the request of then JJC President Gena Proulx as a way for the campus to remember 9/11. 

The event is sponsored by the JJC Police Department, the Office of Student Activities and the Environmental Health and Safety Department. 

The reception in the Cafeteria that follows the memorial will feature short videos and speakers sharing where they were at the time of the 9/11 attacks and how it impacted them.

Those unable to attend can watch a live stream of the event on JJC's Facebook page beginning at 8:45 a.m.

For media inquiries, contact Communications and Media Coordinator Scott Harvey at 815-280-2844 or sharvey@jjc.edu.