Students at Tallulah Academy joined in prayer around the flagpole Wednesday morning as part of the annual See You at the Pole observance, lifting up their school, community, and nation. The gathering took place on Sept. 11, the same day the City of Tallulah held its annual 9/11 memorial ceremony.
At Tallulah Academy, students and staff circled the flagpole before the school day began.
Interim Mayor Yvonne Lewis, Pastor Oscar Hamilton and Pastor Dorothy Singleton.
Later in the morning, residents gathered downtown for the city’s 9/11 ceremony marking 24 years since the terrorist attacks. The program opened with the posting of the colors by the Madison High School JROTC, followed by the pledge of allegiance and the national anthem. Pastor Oscar Hamilton delivered the invocation, offering prayers for victims’ families, first responders, and military personnel.
Mayor Yvonne Lewis welcomed attendees and recalled the 2,977 lives lost at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and aboard four hijacked planes. “Today, 24 years later, America pauses to remember this unspeakable act. And we also renew our vow to never forget and to always love our country,” Lewis said.
Music was provided by Pastor Bridgewater, who performed the national anthem, and Thomas Harris, who sang a gospel hymn. Pastor Dorothy Singleton served as keynote speaker, urging perseverance and unity in faith. “We are one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,” Singleton said. “We must persevere. We cannot stop. We must stand firm.”
Students from Madison High School and Madison STEAM Academy also attended the memorial, with Lewis noting the importance of passing on the history of 9/11 to those who were born after the attacks. Village of Richmond Mayor Pro Tem Walter Cobb shared brief remarks, asking for continued prayers for the families of victims.
The ceremony concluded with Pastor Hamilton leading a benediction as participants joined hands in prayer.
