By Anne White
Greenwich will gather on Thursday, September 11, 2025, at Cos Cob Park for the town’s annual September 11th Remembrance Ceremony, marking the 24th anniversary of the attacks. The service will begin promptly at 8:46 a.m. at the memorial site, the exact time the North Tower was struck, and will continue through 10:30 a.m.
Harry Fisher to Deliver Keynote
This year’s featured speaker is Harry Fisher, whose brother, Bennett Fisher, was among the 32 Greenwich residents lost on September 11. Fisher is a third-generation Greenwich native, a graduate of Greenwich Country Day School and Cornell University, and today serves as Chairman of the Board of Estimate and Taxation.
Fisher will speak in memory of his brother and others lost that day. His daughter, Morgan Fisher, will participate by reading aloud the names of the Greenwich victims, with State Senator Ryan Fazio ringing a bell for each name.
Officials, Clergy, and First Responders
First Selectman Fred Camillo will speak on behalf of Greenwich and lay the ceremonial wreath at the base of the memorial. Other town officials scheduled to attend include Selectwoman Lauren Rabin, Selectperson Janet Stone-McGuigan, and Town Clerk Jackie Budkins. From the state, Senator Fazio and Representatives Tina Courpas, Hector Arzeno and Stephen Meskers are expected, along with federal and state leaders.
Prayers and blessings will be offered by Rev. Thomas Nins, chaplain to the Greenwich Police Department; Rev. Stephanie Johnson of St. Paul’s Church in Riverside; and Rabbi Mitchell Hurvitz of Temple Sholom.
The Honor Guard, made up of Greenwich Police, Fire, and EMS, will lead the procession to the towers. Wreaths and a commemorative flag will be placed at the base of the memorial by first responders alongside town officials.
Music and Tribute
The ceremony will also feature performances from the Sound Beach Community Band and the Melody Men, a chorus of Greenwich veterans. Deputy Chief Jim Bonney will perform on the bagpipes, Ken Pond and his son Dylan will play “Taps” on dueling bugles, and Neal Spitzer will contribute on saxophone. Megan Tyre will sing “Hallelujah” and Michelle Pauker will perform the National Anthem. Steele Barhydt will offer the Pledge of Allegiance.
At key moments, the Riverside Yacht Club cannon will fire at 8:46, 9:03, 9:37, 9:59, 10:03, and 10:28 a.m., signifying the strikes and collapse of the towers and the crash of Flight 93. The Greenwich Police Marine Division will add a water salute in Cos Cob Harbor.
Remembering Greenwich’s Loss
The names of the 32 Greenwich victims—mothers, fathers, sons, daughters—are inscribed on the memorial’s twin glass towers, designed to recall the “Towers of Light” once visible in lower Manhattan. Flowers will be available for the public to lay at the base of the memorial throughout the day, and attendees are invited to walk through the labyrinth that surrounds the towers.
A Memorial Built Together
When the memorial was unveiled in 2015, Sentinel reporter Tim Dumas described its distinctive features: the twin towers of glass rising 12 feet above the harbor, and a spiral walkway designed according to the Fibonacci ratio, the mathematical sequence found in seashells and sunflowers. The pathway leads visitors toward the towers, creating a natural rhythm of reflection.
The effort to bring the memorial into being took more than a decade. Susan Wohlforth, one of its early advocates, recalled standing at the site for the first time and feeling “a little dazed” by its beauty, comfort, and peace. What once seemed an impossible project became a gift to the town— a memorial entirely privately funded and supported by residents, families, and local organizations.
Organizers of this year’s service, Stephanie Dunn Ashley, CEO of the American Red Cross Metro NY North Chapter, and Wells Noonan, longtime community volunteer, continue that work. Together with local clergy, first responders, and officials, they have planned a program expected to draw more than 200 attendees.
Several of this year’s and past participants and volunteers— including Jim Heavey, Stephanie Dunn Ashley, Bob Capazzo, Joe Kelly, Frank Gaudio, and Susan Wohlforth—have been honored with the Sentinel Award for service to Greenwich. Their part in the ceremony underscores how community service and remembrance intertwine.
Adding to the list of supporters of the event are Smith Party Rentals which donated the chairs and Port Chester Flowers, donating the flowers.
Public Invitation
The public is invited to attend the ceremony at Cos Cob Park. Seating will be available, though parking at the park is limited. Additional parking will be provided at the Metro-North station, with shuttles operated by the Transportation Association of Greenwich (TAG).
For those unable to attend in the morning, the memorial will remain open throughout the day, with flowers available at the pavilion for visitors to lay in private reflection.
