Photo by Kelly Clement
Canyon Lake will not forget
Canyon Lake has rallied around the honoring of those who lost their lives and have been forever impacted by the 9/11 events at the Twin Towers in New York City. The day 22 years ago shook the nation and its reverberations have permanently affected all Americans, including the highly-patriotic community of Canyon Lake.
Committees have formed and Canyon Lakers across the community have participated in what is now known as Canyon Lake Patriots Day every Sept. 11. It has become a tradition to gather at the Canyon Lake Veterans Memorial Park in the Canyon Lake Town Center in the morning, then participate in some sort of parade before gathering at the Canyon Lake Lodge for speeches by dignitaries and lighting the sky with two blue twin beams of laser light for all to see. The beams of light replicate those that are shown at the Twin Tower site in New York City each Sept. 11.
Photo by Kelly Clement
Canyon Lake Patriots Day started off in the morning on Monday at Veterans Park where a somber and peaceful ceremony put on by the City of Canyon Lake took place. Council Member Kasey Castillo welcomed the members of the community in attendance.
“Today, we not only remember those killed in a vicious attack on our nation, but also the brave men and women who serve our communities as first responders,” Kasey said.
Kasey led everyone attending in the Pledge of Allegiance, The Elsinore High School Junior ROTC presented the colors, and Aprile DeAnne McKinnon sang the National Anthem as the morning festivities began.
Mayor Jeremy Smith spoke of the importance of how Sept. 11, 2021 was a day that forever changed the course of the nation’s history.
“We stand together to remember, honor, and to reflect,” Jeremy said. “It’s important to remember how united we came together on that horrific day. I still have faith in this country that we will come together no matter what happens. We have to be strong. I just want to encourage the Canyon Lake community to be patriotic.”
Canyon Lake Fire Chief Jeff LaTendresse honored the fallen 9/11 victims with the sharing of the bell ceremony. He taught what the sounding of the bells mean and the traditions behind it. Captain Brennain Gorter of the Canyon Lake Fire Department rang the Canyon Lake Liberty Bell in honor of those who died that tragic day.
“One tradition in the fire department is the sounding of the bells,” Jeff said. “In the past, as fire fighters began their duty, it was the bell that signaled the beginning of each shift and the end of each shift. Throughout the day and night each alarm sounded by a bell which summoned those brave souls to fires as they placed their lives in jeopardy for the good of their fellow citizens.”
Three rings symbolizes that the firefighter duties were over and could return home, he said. The tradition of the sounding of the bells also represents those who gave their lives and has become a tradition since 9/11 to sound the bells to the firefighters who lost their lives trying to save others on that horrible day.
Historically, the toll of a bell summoned members to the station, signaled the beginning of a shift, notified departments of a call for help, and indicated a call was completed and the unit had returned to the station.
“For me, one memory that I relive over and over again are the alarms that are part of a firefighter’s breathing apparatus,” Jeff said. “Hearing the alarms sound and seeing those firefighters not moving means that they have passed. It’s a sound that still haunts me to this day.”
The theme throughout the day was “Never Forget” and to learn to continue to be united as a community and a country by sharing with everybody’s families all that can be learned from this event.
“What is important to me is 9/12,” Tim Cook, of the Canyon Lake Veterans and First Responders Group said. “Because that was the day when everyone came together. No race, no religion and no politics…just mankind coming together.”
After a parade of golf carts down Canyon Lake Drive from Eastport Park to the Lodge, an evening service took place at the Canyon Lake Lodge.
Crowds gathered an hour before the ceremony and filled the tables at the renovated outside area of the Lodge where the ceremony would take place.
Many gathered to see the new renovations that have been taking place at the Lodge. Phase 1 of the renovation is nearing completion.
The evening began with patriotic music being played and the Patriotic Quilters taking entries for the drawing to give away one of the quilts that were made for the event. Tim, of the Veterans and First Responders Group, opened the ceremony.
“I’m grateful to Canyon Lake, the POA and the staff at the Lodge for their support of our Patriot Day and remembrance of 9/11,” he said. “Canyon Lake has to be the most patriotic community in the state. I love events like this that show our wonderful community united.”
Eleven-year-old Joseph Luna stood with confidence and sang a heartfelt rendition of the National Anthem and the audience cheered with thunderous applause as he finished.
Canyon Lake POA President Bill Van Vleet then shared a story which brought many to tears.
“Sept. 11 has deep personal meaning to me,” Bill said. “I lost an employee in the attack on the Pentagon and the events of that day changed my life. It was very touching to see many residents bring their families out for our 9/11 tribute. I want to thank Tim Cook and the Veterans and First Responders Club for establishing and continuing this tradition for our community.”
Ilyssa DeCasperis, a Canyon Lake resident since 2017, was born and raised in New York City and shared her touching story of losing three of her dear friends. She woke up early in the morning Monday, as she had for the last 22 years on Sept. 11, to watch the broadcast of the reading of those lost at the Twin Towers.
Ilyssa read off facts from the tragedy that occurred and reiterated how the tragedy brought the nation together as one.
Ilyssa said that in the aftermath of the terrorist acts on 9/11, everybody came together regardless of one’s political party or religion.
At the conclusion of the ceremony at the Lodge, the twin blue laser lights shot into the sky over Canyon Lake and shined bright to reiterate that those in Canyon Lake will never forget. UC Riverside’s Great Highland Bagpipes and Drums played Amazing Grace among other songs as residents united in cheers for the day of remembrance as the blue lights shined.
Photo by Kelly Clement
An aerial view of the twin blue lights gives a different perspective of the ceremonial display during the annual Canyon Lake Patriot Day commemoration. Photo provided by Canyon Lake Property Owners Association
Joseph Luna, 11, sings the National Anthem for the 9/11 evening event at the Canyon Lake Lodge as Canyon Lake dignitaries look on. Photo by Aprile DeAnne McKinnon
UC Riverside’s gagpipe players perform as the twin blue lights are turned on to illuminate the Canyon Lake sky beyond the new outdoor stage at the Canyon Lake Lodge. Photo by Kelly Clement
Photos by Aprile DeAnne McKinnon The palms in the new median at the Main Gate turned blue on 9/11 to honor the community’s commemoration of the events of the New York City tragedy 22 years ago. Photo by Aprile DeAnne McKinnon