Canyon Lake to light up on 9/11

In response to New York City’s decision to cancel the traditional 9/11 tribute this year, a group of Canyon Lake residents, including Mayor Pro Tem Kasey Castillo, have decided to light up the community in blue lights on Sept. 11. With both the City of Canyon Lake and the Canyon Lake POA on board, they’re looking for resident participation and are asking all those in Canyon Lake to purchase blue lights and turn them on at 9:11 p.m. that night.

“On Sept. 11, 2001, our country lost almost 3,000 people in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, DC and a plane that was brought down in Shanksville, PA,” one of the organizers, Brian Bock, said. “People from all over the world perished in these attacks. Since that day, thousands of first responders, rescue, search and recovery personnel (many of whom were volunteers) have been stricken with illnesses and a number have passed away from these illnesses due to lack of proper PPE and after statements that the air quality was okay for them to work at Ground Zero.”

This year, as the country makes it way through COVID-19, a decision was made by New York City to cancel the annual ceremonial reading of the names of the deceased and to cancel the “Tribute in Light,” the two beams of blue lights that shine to the heavens, he said. It was then that Canyon Lake residents Esgar DeCasperis and Brian, both from New York, began posting on Facebook how outraged they were that New York City had cancelled these memorials.

Brian began a Facebook page titled “9/11 Tribute in Light – Canyon Lake.” News of the page quickly spread and over 600 residents have already joined.

A small committee formed, including the Mayor Pro Tem, and it began brainstorming ideas to make sure that even if New York was cancelling the memorials, Canyon Lakers will “Never Forget” the shocking and horrific acts of 9/11.

New York City was pressured by people all over the country to bring the lights back. Faced with the mounting pressure, the city decided to continue the tradition and reinstated the tribute this year.

The Canyon Lake committee decided it would continue with its plans to Light up the Lake in blue and has encouraged residents to purchase blue lights and shine them at 9:11 p.m. on Sept. 11. Henry Becerra will take drone video of the community in lights.

Canyon Lake will also have two blue spotlights shine that night for all of the community to see.

With the help of fellow committee members Jill Liles Batinich, Karen Bevans, Judith Bock, Danielle Britton, Kasey Castillo, Tim Cook, Shari Sacks Gonzalez and Rolando Gonzalez, (owners of SRG Design who created shirts for the event) and Jeannie Hoonkou, the committee met weekly on Zoom calls and had daily group messaging with updates.

All of this came together within four weeks of Sept. 11, Brian said. The committee brainstormed ideas and worked to figure out who to reach out to for sponsorship. The city issued a Proclamation to Canyon Lake. Donations started coming in from all over, including New York and Pennsylvania. Several Canyon Lake clubs made donations to help offset costs. The POA and City have provided support towards the effort.

Profits from the sales of the shirts and from donations in excess of the costs to run the event will go to the Inland Empire Blue Belles, a charity organization that supports and provides assistance to law enforcement families adversely affected in the line of duty.

“We are looking forward to seeing Canyon Lake Light Up In Blue at 9:11 p.m. on Sept. 11,” Brian said. “We thank all of the Canyon Lake community for coming together to Never Forget.”