To mark the third anniversary of Sept. 11, Peer Assistance will host a remembrance ceremony and physical groundbreaking of the Sept. 11 Memorial Garden tomorrow from noon to 12:30 p.m.The event will be in the open field that is adjacent to Ellender Memorial Library, facing Ellender Hall and Audubon Drive. This is the future site of the garden, which has been in the planning stages since last fall.
“This year we will complete that ceremonial groundbreaking that was held last year by physically planting the trees and having the slab poured in the next couple of weeks,” Eric Haydel, director of Peer Assistance, said.
The layout of the ceremony to remember those who died in the attacks as well as those who risked their lives to save others was not complete at press time. However, Haydel said the memorial will include readings, songs and the collaboration of student organizations. Students, faculty, administrators and staff as well as area firemen and University police are invited to the event.
“We encourage all the student body to come because it’s through their efforts, support and funding that they pay that we’re able to do this project,” Haydel said. “Even being able to ask for donations for this project is because of them.”
Haydel said student organizations committed to the garden project, including the Student Government Association and Student Programming Association, set aside funding in their budgets from student self-assessed fees to help cover costs, but organizations are trying to limit the use of these fees for this project so the money can go toward other services.
“As of right now, we don’t need to use any of that money because everything is being donated courtesy of area companies and the University,” Haydel said.
According to Haydel, the firemen of Thibodaux donated a bronze fireman statue for the garden, which Peer Assistance hopes will be up by the end of the fall semester.
Haydel said the garden itself will go 20 feet into the open field, and its construction will be done through the University’s maintenance and grounds staff. It will include a paved circular sidewalk with the fireman statue on one side and a sundial on the other. Behind the circle will be four trees to symbolize the four attacks the United States suffered on Sept. 11. In the middle of the circle and on the outskirts of the garden, flowers will be planted to symbolize new beginnings. Four benches will surround the circle, and a bronze plaque indicating the dedication of the garden to the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks will lie in the center.
“Hopefully we’ll see everything in full bloom in the spring,” Haydel said. “Everything has been ordered, and they are supposed to start marking things off this week.”
He said Peer Assistance would eventually like to add lighting to the garden for safety purposes, but the amount of donations the organization receives for the project will help determine how feasible that is.
