Ephrata holds ceremony for Patriot Day

EPHRATA - About 30 people, including police officers, national guard members and firefighters, gathered on the lawn of the Grant County Courthouse for Patriot Day.

The ceremony started with ringing the fire alarm bell as a memorial for all of the soldiers and emergency services personnel who died during and since the attack on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, said Mike Montaney, the master of ceremonies.

Jane Montaney, an American Legion auxiliary member, said it was important to remember the emergency services personnel and national guard members who make sacrifices every day to protect freedom.

"They are on alert 24 (hours a day), 7 (days a week)," she said. "Just ask them how many of their children's birthday's they've missed … How many Thanksgivings (they've) given up."

Grant County Commissioner LeRoy Allison placed a bouquet of flowers with twelve American flags at the base of the memorial for the Grant County residents who died fighting in war.

Mike Montaney said each of the flags was meant to represent one of the 12 wars America has fought, including the global war on terrorism.

"It is our hope that we will never take our freedoms for granted," he said. "We remember the sacrifices made for our freedom."

The event finished with a seven-gun salute by the American Legion Color Guard, and the taking down of the American and Washington state flags.

"Your presence here," Mike Montaney told the crowd, "sends a message to all of the country that we will remember Sept. 11."