SEMO to host Patriot Day Ceremony honoring 9/11 victims and local heroes

KBSI FOX23 News at 9 p.m.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., (KBSI) – Southeast Missouri State University will hold its annual Patriot Day Ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 11, from 7:35 to 8:30 a.m. in front of Academic Hall. The event will honor first responders, military service members, veterans and the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Hosted by SEMO’s Office of Military and Veteran Services, the ceremony underscores the university’s commitment to supporting those who serve while offering the community and students an opportunity for remembrance and reflection.

“This day in history is a call to action,” said Amanda Woods, military and veterans’ services officer at SEMO. “We choose to build resiliency with each moment and each choice, both in how we live our lives and how we serve each other. Education is no different. Our students are shaping the world, so it is our responsibility to help guide and empower them, enabling them to commit to serving one another.”

For many students, who were not yet born in 2001, the ceremony also provides a critical educational experience.

“Patriot Day is about helping them understand the impact of 9/11 and encouraging them to carry forward a spirit of service in their own lives,” Woods said. “We come together as a community and as a nation to reflect on our shared loss and recommit ourselves to the values that rose from the ashes of that dark morning: perseverance, unity and resilience.”

The free, public event will feature participation from Cape Girardeau County first responders, as well as SEMO students, faculty and staff. The program will also include a performance of the national anthem by Southeast trumpet majors, highlighting student involvement in the commemoration.