A special celebration for a special community

To the Editor:

This past Sunday afternoon some 500 people gathered in Robe-Ann Park to remember Sept. 11th, 2001 and to recognize and celebrate the men and women who serve Putnam County as our first responders. It was a good afternoon and hopefully, those who weren't able to attend or listen over WREB will soon have the opportunity to watch a replay on our cable access channel.

I would like to thank Kathy Jones for starting the discussion that led to yesterday's event. Not long after Kathy and I first talked, I had a meeting with Kate Smanik and her Interfaith Council at DePauw. They too wanted to work on a commemorative event, and so another opportunity to bring community together began.

For the next several months a small committee met and planned: Kathy Jones, Tammy Amor, Adam Cohen, Kate Smanik, Erin Confer-Staggers, Brian Howard and I. We each had our assignments and Sunday it all came together.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to the committee, to Weblos Pack 99, the Northern Putnam County Girl Scouts, Tom Chen and Zak Phillips, Brian Howard and the Gobin and First Baptist Bell Choirs, Chaplain Jim Staggers, Rep. Baird, DePauw Capella, Vickie Parker and Jack Randall Earles, Carrie Hamilton and the Greencastle High School Classics, Chief Bill Newgent, the Covered Bridge Country Chorus, Rob Weidner, the DePauw men's swim team and Ethan Perdue, who designed the poster for the event.

We do live in a very special community.

Sue Murray

Mayor of Greencastle