9/11 memorial in Jackson taking shape

The bravery and sacrifice of hundreds of first responders on Sept. 11, 2001, during and after the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., affected Jackson Fire Rescue captains Sam Herndon and Ryan Davie deeply -- and they're leading a charge to finish a memorial now in progress on the Jackson fire station lawn.

The memorial will honor the 343 firefighters who lost their lives on 9/11, and fallen firefighters from Cape Girardeau County.

Jackson Fire Rescue has a history of commemorating the 9/11 attacks. According to previous reporting by the Southeast Missourian, the department tries to find a creative, meaningful way to honor the sacrifice of the firefighters who gave their lives on 9/11. Past commemorations include a firefighter in full gear on a stair machine for a set amount of time to mark each of the 343 firefighter deaths, and a march from Interstate 55 to the fire station: 3.43 miles, in full gear.

The idea for the memorial was born in 2017, after the 9/11 commemoration. While meaningful, the previous efforts weren't a concrete place to visit and remember.

Now, grass is sprouting around the newly laid-in pavers, a path that leads to the pentagon-shaped base of the memorial. A round piece of plywood covers the spot that will eventually house a stone medallion at the path's head, and flagpoles will be moved from their present spot along the sidewalk to the memorial's rear.

An artist's rending of the 9/11 Memorial in JacksonSubmitted photo

It's taking shape.

Overlooking the busy intersection at South Hope Street and Jackson Boulevard, the memorial will eventually include two black "towers" inscribed with the names of those who died in the 2001 attacks, three flagpoles, a statue of a kneeling firefighter facing the towers, and benches, Herndon said.

The path's pavers will be inscribed with the names of Cape Girardeau County firefighters, Davie said.

"What's cool is, it's gone from our hand-drawn plans to this," Davie said. "It's turned out just like the pictures."

Herndon nods. "From colored pencil sketches to real life," he said.

That real-life element is why this project is so important to the two firefighters. The Sept. 11 attacks were 19 years ago, and both Herndon and Davie want visitors to the memorial to remember, always, the bravery and sacrifice shown by those who died.

"We just want people to always remember that all those who gave their lives to save their fellow Americans," Herndon said. "Don't forget."

There's an educational piece to it, too. Students, most of whom likely weren't born yet when the attacks occurred, can come to the memorial and learn more about 9/11, Herndon said -- the benches will be inscribed with facts and statistics about what happened that day.

"Now, it's just a few pages in a history book," Herndon said. "This will give them a perspective that's more than just reading on a page."

Financially, they're still fundraising, Herndon said. "We won't finish putting it in unless we can pay for it," he said. "Donations are really key to finishing the project."

Right now, they're about $13,000 away from fully paying for it, Herndon said.

They've been raising money for the project since 2018, Davie said, "but COVID-19 plateaued that." So, the two started a Facebook fundraiser in addition to the existing donation sheets businesses or individuals can fill out to donate particular amounts. On the Facebook fundraiser, donors can give whatever amount they wish, Davie said.

"We're excited," Herndon said, adding that a Sept. 11 dedication and opening are planned.

The project total is estimated at about $50,000, Herndon said.

More info on the Facebook fundraiser is at www.facebook.com/JacksonFireRescue. Pledge forms are also available. Contact Sam Herndon at (573) 243-1010 or sherndon@jacksonfire.org for more information.

True-Que reopening

After a May 4 fire, Byron Bonner's True-Que barbecue eatery at 402 Good Hope Street in Cape Girardeau will reopen at 11 a.m. Friday.

"It's been a long time coming," Bonner wrote Wednesday in a Facebook post announcing the reopen. "Let's try to break our FRIDAY RECORD! Who's with us."

Bonner said he appreciates everyone who gave and volunteered on the journey.

Bonner is also pastor of True Vine Ministries in Cape Girardeau.

Glenn House tours

Regular tours at the Glenn House will resume for the month of June, according to a social media post Friday.

Tours will be by appointment only, on Saturdays -- no walk-ups -- and groups will be limited to 8 guests. Preregistration is required. Prepayment details are coming.

Reservations must be made a minimum of 48 hours in advance.

Face masks are not required but are strongly recommended. Social distancing will be observed, and the house will be sanitized between each tour, held once every two hours from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., the post stated.

Any questions are welcome on the group's Facebook page.

River City Players cancel 2020-2021 season

Sad news on the community theater front. River City Players made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020-2021 season, according to an announcement from Debbie Barnhouse, member of the RCP board of directors. Barnhouse wrote that the spring production planned for April 2021 will be "Rope," a play written in 1929 by Patrick Hamilton, later made into the 1948 film directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

See the video at www.semissourian.com/blogs/1398/entry/74891.