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Our communities owe a debt of gratitude to the organizers of the annual 9-11 Memorial Ride.
For more than two decades, the rides have honored the sacrifices that bind our nation on Sept. 11 -- the victims of the terror attacks on New York City, Washington D.C. and Somerset County, the men and women who served and risked their lives in the war on terror and the first responders who responded to those crises and other, less documented crises before and after.
"These brave men and women have committed their lives to keeping us safe and should be recognized for the sacrifices they have made," Tank Baird, president of the organizing coalition, told the Sun-Gazette.
The organizing of the event is an arduous process that starts in January. Permits must be acquired, consent from each of the six municipalities through which the ride passes must be explicitly obtained, barricades and signage must be placed, an escort by the Lycoming County Sheriff's Office and traffic control by a multitude of police must be arranged, a staging area for the ride to begin and end must be set up.
The organizers described it as a bit like organized chaos. But it's organized chaos that serves a purpose.
It reminds our communities of the loss and grief of that day. It reminds us how we've overcame that loss.
It uplifts and inspires participants and spectators alike.
"It is an emotional experience," Chief Todd Winder of the Clinton Township Volunteer Fire Co. said of the ride. "You sometimes think that patriotism is not what it used to be but this ride can restore some of your faith in America and its people."