SEBASTIAN — Patriot Day 2014, 8:35 am: A hundred or so people, veterans organizations, retired and active military and fire department personnel, law enforcement and Sebastian city officials, gathered at the Sebastian Veterans Memorial.
They were there, in the blazing heat of the morning sun, beneath the flag pole where the Stars and Stripes rippled at half-mast, to solemnly observe the 13th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, and to remember all those who perished in the horror of that bright blue morning.
Ed Motyka of the Sebastian VFW conducted the moving program, which began with Massing of Colors, an invocation by Rabbi Michael Birnholz and a moment of silence. Sebastian’s much-loved Debbi Hanford sang “God Bless America.” Children from St. Peter’s Academy in Gifford, in crisp navy blue with white shirts and black ties, each holding an American flag, handed out programs and later sang “America the Beautiful” and the inspiring “God Bless the USA.” Each speaker brought his own memories of the day, and keynote speaker , author and Army veteran Lee Boyland, emphasized that the enemy is not “terror – a concept,” but Radical Fundamentalism. At the prescribed hour, the memorial wreath
was brought forward to the mournful sound of a bagpipe. A 21-gun salute sliced the air, and taps was played. At that moment, for the first time all morning, gray clouds covered the sun.