Shanksville, PA. - On Saturday, July 30 at 1:00 p.m. ET, Flight 93 National Memorial will be the site of a ceremonial planting of three sweet gum trees to mark the arrival of 40 sweet gums generously donated to the memorial by the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center site. The Flight 93 National Memorial is located near Shanksville, PA.
The Flight 93 National Memorial honors the 40 passengers and crew members of United Flight 93 who on Sept. 11, 2001, lost their lives in a fight with terrorists to take control of the plane, diverting it from its intended target of Washington, DC. The plane crashed instead into the fields near Shanksville.
The ceremonial planting of the three sweet gum trees will take place near the memorial's new visitor shelter and memorial walk. The remaining 37 trees will be placed between the memorial's wall of names and the western overlook during the coming weeks.
Since the event is being held AT a construction site, media must arrive at the temporary memorial area at the western overlook by 12:30 p.m. sharp to be escorted to the ceremony area. No media will be escorted to the ceremony AREA after 12:30 p.m.
Keith Newlin, National Park Service (NPS) Superintendent, National Parks of Western Pennsylvania; Ronaldo Vega, Director, Design and Construction, National September 11 Memorial & Museum; and John Reynolds, Chairman, Flight 93 Federal Advisory Commission are among those who will take shovels in hand and gently turn the earth to plant these living memorials to the 40 passengers and crew of Flight 93.
Gordon Felt, President, Families of Flight 93 and other Flight 93 family members; King Laughlin, Vice President, Flight 93 National Memorial Campaign; and Flight 93 National Memorial volunteers will also be at the site. Flight 93 National Memorial architect Paul Murdoch of Paul Murdoch Architects will be at the site and available with the NPS after the ceremony to provide an update on construction of the memorial.
The first phase of the Flight 93 National Memorial is currently under construction and will be dedicated on Sept. 10, 2011.
WHAT:The Flight 93 National Memorial will be the site of a ceremonial planting of three sweet gum trees to mark the arrival of 40 sweet gums donated by the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center site to the Flight 93 National Memorial.
WHO:Participants will include Keith Newlin, NPS Superintendent, National Parks of Western Pennsylvania; Ronaldo Vega, Director, Design and Construction, National September 11 Memorial & Museum; and John Reynolds, Chair, Flight 93 Federal Advisory Commission.
Gordon Felt, President, Families of Flight 93 and other Flight 93 family members; King Laughlin, Vice President, Flight 93 National Memorial Campaign; and Flight 93 National Memorial volunteers will also be at the site. Flight 93 National Memorial architect Paul Murdoch of Paul Murdoch Architects will be at the site and available with the NPS after the ceremony to provide an update on construction of the memorial.
WHEN:Saturday, July 30, 2011
12:30 PM - Media to Assemble at Flight 93 National Memorial's Western Overlook
1:00 PM - Ceremony Begins
WHERE:Flight 93 National Memorial, near visitor shelter and memorial walk currently under construction. Media must first go to the memorial site's western overlook no later than 12:30 PM to be escorted to the ceremony site.
The entrance to the western overlook is off of Lambertsville Road, approximately 3 miles south of US 30. Signs will direct visitors to the entrance, which is just south of Skyline Road. The memorial is just outside Shanksville, in southwestern Pennsylvania. For driving directions, go to www.nps.gov/flni/planyourvisit/directions.htm.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
