Waxhaw marks 25th anniversary of 9/11 with Friday ceremony

Waxhaw will mark 25 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks with a Patriot Day Ceremony at 8 a.m. Friday, Sept. 11, at the Military Wall of Honor in downtown Waxhaw.

The ceremony, held each year at 105 E. North Main St., will include a prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, the National Anthem, a moment of silence, a performance of "Amazing Grace," a guest speaker and a Quilts of Valor presentation, according to the Town of Waxhaw's event page. The town has not announced the guest speaker's name.

Church bells will ring four times during the morning to mark the moments of each attack on Sept. 11, 2001. The first bells sound at 8:46 a.m., the time the first plane struck the World Trade Center. Bells follow at 9:03 a.m., 9:37 a.m. and 10:03 a.m.

Nearly 3,000 people died in the 2001 attacks.

The town said on its event page that it holds the ceremony each year "as a promise to never forget" and to honor those who helped with rescue and recovery efforts. Queen City News reported that this year's ceremony will also include a candle-lighting remembrance for attendees who want to honor a loved one, friend, colleague or hero.

The Waxhaw ceremony is one of more than a half-dozen 9/11 memorial events planned across the Charlotte area for the anniversary weekend, WCNC reported. Union County will hold a separate ceremony at 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 11, at the historic Union County Courthouse on Hayne Street in Monroe, the Enquirer-Journal reported.

The Military Wall of Honor, located near the Waxhaw Volunteer Fire Department, also hosts the town's annual Veterans Day ceremony. That event is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m.