The City of Canyon Lake and the Canyon Lake Fire Department will be holding a Remembrance Ceremony in honor of those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
The community is invited to attend this solemn event on Wednesday, September 11, at 8:30 a.m. in front of the 9/11 Twin Towers memorial at the fire station.
The short ceremony will feature speeches by local community leaders and public safety personnel, including Canyon Lake Fire Chief Jeff LaTendresse and Captain Rayls of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
A new plaque will be unveiled to honor Thomas P. Hannafin, replacing the old, chipped plaque on the flagpole dedicated to his memory.
Hannafin, a 36-year-old New York firefighter assigned to Ladder 5, lost his life in the World Trade Center attacks. He was a 10-year veteran of the department. Hannafin’s brother Kevin, also a firefighter, carried his helmet out of the ruins of the North Tower, symbolizing the enduring legacy of his brother’s sacrifice.
The ceremony will also include a bell-ringing tribute in honor of all the victims who perished on that fateful day.
Later in the evening, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., the Canyon Lake POA will be hosting a September 11 tribute at the lodge that will include moving dedications, inspiring speeches, patriotic music, a performance by UC Riverside’s Great Highland Bagpipes and Drums, and a blue light tribute featuring the symbolic blue lights representing the Twin Towers.
