Posted at: 09/11/2012 5:13 PM
Updated at: 09/11/2012 5:19 PM
By: Brittany Lewis

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Rushford Community Reflects on 9/11 Attacks

(ABC 6 News) -- "We will stand in silence and bow our heads," said Scuffy Paulson.

Tuesday morning, a moment of silence, as members of the Rushford community gathered to reflect on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. 

"I'll be reflecting on the firefighters, the EMT's, police officers who lost their lives trying to save people," said Ted Robertson.

Their memorial centered around the American flag. Two members of the American Legion Riders climbed to the top of this grain bin at the Farmers Co-op Elevator and at 8:46 A.M., they raised the flag, honoring the moment when the first plane crashed into the World Trade Center.

"We thought it'd be cool to fly a big flag over it in remembrance of 9/11 all those that lost their lives that day as well as men and women that have gave their lives on the war on terror since," said Paulson.

 More than 2800 people died from the September 11th attacks. 23 of them were police officers and 343 of them were paramedics and firefighters. So while the attacks happened nowhere near this small town, they still hit close to home.

"Firemen rush in and they don't come out," said Dale Brand.

He is the First Assistant Fire Chief for the Rushford Department. "All the firemen that perished in there it's hard to swallow, that's a lot of families, a lot of parents, a lot of kids that never got to see their father or mother again," he added.

But with the red, white, and blue flying high above the town, the Village of Rushford will forever remember the victims of that terrible day.

"It reminds all of us when you see the flag of what we're all about, what we have in common, and the pride that we have in our country," said Robertson.

The Farmers Co-op Elevator recently expanded, which is why the ceremony was held at that location. The Rushford American Legion plans to make this an annual event.