Presenter at podium, crowd listening

 

You may go to YouTube to watch the full commemoration.

You may also watch footage of the County's “Ribbons of Remembrance” Memorial as seen below.

In the lobby of the Michaelian Office Building where the County’s “Ribbons of Remembrance” memorial now stands, County Executive George Latimer hosted a commemoration of the County’s first confirmed COVID-19 case. To date, Westchester County has lost over 2,000 lives to the virus.

Latimer said: “What today is about is remembering those we have lost not as merely an integer or statistic, but as human beings and the valued members of our community that they were. While in this last year we have rallied together in so many ways, it is imperative we also take time to grieve and heal together.”

The solemn event began at 11 a.m. with an interfaith prayer service lead be Father Luke Hoyt from Holy Innocents Catholic Church, Rabbi Annie Tucker from Temple Israel Center and Imam Shaffieq Chace from Westchester Muslim Center

Tucker said: “In this year where we have all experienced so much pain and loss, we stand in solidarity as brothers and sisters praying for safety and healing for our families, our community, and our world.”

Hoyt said: “Even in the direst of circumstances, like we have already experienced. Even in the direst of circumstances, like we may yet experience – we may never be alone.”

Chace said: “The fundamental qualities that we must all acquire to serve mankind or to develop a passion to serve mankind are: love for humanity, kindness in our hearts for others, a charitable disposition, humility, honesty, a thirst for knowledge, a desire to share knowledge with others and a constant desire to strive in the cause of God by doing good. We must be a people from whom goodness flows towards others.”

Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins said: “Westchester residents are strong, resilient and also compassionate people.  One year later, we commemorate those we have lost and honor those who worked so hard to keep us safe.”

Westchester County Health Commissioner Dr. Sherlita Amler said: “One year ago, all of our lives changed forever. I am proud of the work of my department, and health care workers county-wide, as we faced this crisis of unprecedented proportions.”

The prayers were followed by remarks from Latimer, Jenkins and Board of Legislators Chairman Ben Boykin, poems read by the County’s Poet Laureate B.K. Fischer and the County’s Youth Poet Laureate Danielle Kohn and a musical interlude from a string quartet made up of students and faculty from White Plains High School. 

Following the program at noon, Latimer led the County in a moment of silence remembering those we have lost.

This commemoration will continue again later in the evening  at 7 p.m. when Latimer will lead a County-wide applause for health care workers in recognition of the life-saving, stress-filled work they have done during these tumultuous times.