Quilt display at library a reminder of 9/11 anniversary

This quilt was created during the summer of 2002 for the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on New York City and Washington, DC, by local artist Laura Earle and members of the Manchester Creative Arts Trust. After being stored for several years, it is back on display at the Village Hall/Manchester District Library.

Tuesday, September 11, 2001 was a pivotal moment in our nation's history and is an event that everyone who lived through it will remember for a lifetime.

This Saturday, September 11, 2021, will be the 20th anniversary of that fateful day. A number of events, both local and nationwide, will observe this somber time in a variety of ways. One observance that is already on display is at the Manchester District Library. A quilt created 19 years ago to commemorate the first anniversary of Sept. 11, by Laura Earle and members of the Manchester Creative Arts Trust (M-CAT), bears the signatures and messages of many local residents. Looking back at the signatures and artwork of many who were children or teens at the time, is equally as poignant as seeing reminders of those who have passed away or left the community in the intervening years.

"Making art is a powerful catharsis," said Earle this week, when contacted about the quilt she had made so many years ago. "After 9/11, as Americans we were in shock and disbelief at the horror of that day. My daughter and I wanted to reach out to our neighbors and make the community quilt as a way to come together during such a difficult time. It became an effective catalyst to come to terms with both the unthinkable and the heroic.

"Presenting the finished quilt to the Village only seemed fitting, since we made it together as a village. We will always remember."

Earle and her daughter, Carolynn, (who was 11 at the time) had talked about a way to bring the community together in the wake of the terrorist attacks, and she related in 2002 that "In my family, when there is a special event or anniversary, I often make a quilt, and we talked about this occasion being appropriate to make another quilt."

She added that it was Carolynn's idea to make the quilt in the pattern of an American flag. Children's hand prints were the white "stars" on the field of blue. Earle was also inspired by a display at the Manchester Area Historical Society of "autograph quilts" contributed by MAHS members, so the white and red blocks include many signatures of local residents.

Old issues of The Manchester Enterprise also provided a peek back at that emotional time.

One article, "Legion sees upsurge in patriotism" relates how in the days following 9/11, the Manchester American Legion Post 117 flew the flags daily on Main Street for two full months, through Veteran's Day, in response to the events of that day. Dave Novess, who was Commander of the post at the time, said that, "A few people have asked me, 'aren't you getting tired of putting all the flags up?' I just tell them that it's not a job to do this; it's a privilege."

Another article, "Firefighters remember fallen comrades," describes how many local firefighters had participated in a "Fill the Boot" fund-raising campaign during October 2011, that directed donated funds to the families who had suffered a loss in the World Trade Center. "The Manchester Township Fire Department is a dedicated group of volunteers who understand in some measure the experiences of the firefighters of the Fire Department of New York as they lost friends, mentors, and brothers in last year's terrorist attack and participated in the rescue and clean up efforts," said the article. Fire Chief Bill Scully related that many Manchester firefighters had participated in special ceremonies, and moving tributes, that were held at the Michigan Firemen's Memorial Festival in Roscommon in September 2011.

"Teens struggle with aftermath," shared comments from middle and high-school students. Then-high school senior Craig Lane (class of 2003) compared it to a "bad dream."

"When it first happened, I was in shock the whole day," said Lane. "The next day I woke up and it was like facing reality all over."

Amanda Kelly, a seventh-grader at the time, said, "What I saw changed my life. I never imagined anything like that could happen. But I also saw people comforting and caring for each other, and I realized that America was really strong."

The memories of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 were often compared to the time when these teens' parents had learned about the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963. But 40 years prior, the news coverage glossed over some of the more graphic details. Not so with September 11. All of America watched as the events unfolded throughout the day. "They didn't spare us the details," said Dorene Shirey, who was the school guidance counselor in 2002. "Kids were not protected from this event ... it has been a long year. I don't think all of them remember the anger they felt at that time."

Some teens even said that they were concerned there were terrorists remaining in America, waiting to attack again on the anniversary of 9/11.

Even though life has gone on much as usual in the wake of tragedy these past 20 years, one thing is certain. No one — child, teen, or adult — has forgotten the events of September 11, 2001. As sixth-grader Zach Alexander prophetically said 19 years ago, "The next generation will have it in their history books."

And they do.

Quilt squares bore heartfelt inscriptions from Manchester area residents.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.