County Executive Andy Spano observed the eighth anniversary of  the 9/11 attacks by remembering the tragic loss of life that day while publicly recognizing community-minded “everyday heroes” who provide hope and optimism for the future.

Spano placed a wreath at the center of The Rising memorial at Kensico Dam Plaza as a symbol of unity – a circle with no beginning and no end. In keeping with the President’s declared “National Day of Service,” he honored five county residents for their service to the community.

Congressman John Hall and Congresswoman Nita Lowey, as well as Board of Legislators Chair Bill Ryan and other board members, joined Spano.

The Call to Service awards were presented to the following individuals:

• Alan Shapiro, Pleasantville resident and coordinator of the Interfaith Caring Community of Greenburgh who has worked with Volunteers of America, Northern Westchester Shelter, AIDS-Related Community Services and the Yonkers Sharing Community. He is also director of The Sanctuary, a runaway and youth shelter at Children’s Village.
• Tuesday McDonald of Peekskill who has been a leader, educator, counselor and volunteer for more than 20 years. She is a long-time Peekskill school board member and active with Americorps and Mt. Olivet Church.
• Jeni Schutrick, a Peekskill resident who serves as a certified chaplain at Hudson Valley Hospital Center and teaches CCD at Saint Columbanus school and church. Her more than 40 years of volunteering includes assisting several food pantries and helping the Hudson Valley Mental Health organization.
• Richard T. Moore, a Yonkers World War II-era veteran who has worked to support fellow veterans for more than 50 years, especially those in VA hospitals, and been an active member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
• Mary Beth Kass, a Bedford resident who has helped raise public awareness about global warming. As chair of the Energy Advisory Panel and organizer of various community forums, she helped Bedford reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and motivated other municipalities to jump-start their own climate action plans.

Spano also presented a Westchester County Employee Call to Service Award to Barbara Sabater, a county employee for the Department of Social Services, who for six years has run Westchester County’s Holiday Toy Drive for the county’s 900 foster children. She also runs the Foster Care Sibling program which unites separated foster care siblings for one week at Camp Morty, the county’s summer camp for underprivileged children at Mount Lakes Park in North Salem. She is also an adoptive parent.

“The events of 9/11/2001 will forever be etched in our minds and weigh heavily on our hearts. For most of us, it will be a day for personal reflection,” Spano said. “For all of us, The Rising is a place where we can come throughout the year to remember those who died and where we can find solace and hope for the future.”

“Our goal is not only to reward those who have given of themselves, but to hold them up as examples to encourage others to volunteer,’’ Spano said. “The Call to Service Award is a way for us to recognize the everyday heroes in our community – the ones who are always there to throw a life line to others.”

The Call to Service award is co-sponsored with The Volunteer Center of United Way.

Also, to mark that tragic day, “A Community Comes Together: The Making of The Rising 9/11 Memorial” exhibition will be on display at the Westchester County Courthouse in White Plains. The exhibition features a video and a selection of photographs, architectural drawings and computerized images that provide an in-depth look at the making of The Rising, from concept to completion.

The public can view the exhibition on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Rising, designed by architect Frederic Schwartz of New York City, is an 80-foot high stainless steel sculpture that honors the Westchester residents who died in the tragedies of September 11, 2001. At the base of the memorial are granite stones that bear the names of all those who died and an inscription about them provided by their families. The memorial, which was dedicated in 2006, is situated at the eastern corner of the Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla.

On September 11th, the memorial can be visited from dawn to midnight and will be lit after dusk.