Video: Yorkville's Patriot's Walk

Legion Commander Tim Conrardy: "We learned the absence of war does not mean peace."

About 200 people walked from City Hall to Town Square Park as part of the annual Patriot's Walk on Sunday commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. During the short program in the park, Mayor Gary Golinski announced plans to name the city’s new tennis courts Collman Courts in honor of Jeffrey Collman, a 1977 Yorkville High School graduate and a flight attendant for Flight 11. That was the flight that struck the World Trade Center's north tower. Yorkville High School student Anna Schleitwiler also sang the National Anthem, and traffic paused on Route 47 for a moment of silence.

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Pat Gavros Has Become the 'Stone in the Pond'

Oswego woman personifies thinking globally, acting locally.

Patriotism. It’s a word that all at once can mean so much and in the next moment have its meaning stripped away by cynical campaigners looking for the latest political score. For Pat Gavros, patriotism has become so much more than any of that. It’s become her way of life—who she is. The 60-something Oswego resident and mother of one son began 2011 on an unusual mission—to lead a more patriotic life. Gavros, who is polite to a fault, set out to accomplish one act of patriotism each week. Her quest has led her to Santa Monica, CA, where she took part in the weekly Arlington West project, in which volunteers place crosses on the beach to commemorate the U.S. military personnel lost in Iraq and Afghanistan. That trip inspired Gavros to …

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Pat Gavros

10:55 am on Sunday, September 11, 2011

Thank you so much Rick! If it hadn't been for you bringing you 18' trailer (after you worked a 12 hour day!) to put the shoes on late yesterday, it wouldn't have gone so smoothly this morning. It's people like you............people who pitch in with a sense of civic caring, that promotes the kind of wonderful community we live in. You're the epitome of volunteerism.....even when it's a tiresome …   more ›

Final Schedule Announced for Oswego's 9/11 Memorial

Thousands expected in downtown Oswego for 10th anniversary event.

Sunday’s 9/11 Empty Shoe Memorial in Oswego looks to be a massive event with more than 100 volunteers and thousands of residents from all over the Fox Valley heading downtown to pay their respects on 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York City, Washington D.C. and Flight 93 in rural Pennsylvania. Here is the final schedule of events: 8 a.m. Opening of the memorial at Route 71 and Washington Street. 8:46 a.m. Church of the Good Shepherd bell-ringing and minute of silence 8:47 a.m. Oswego Fire Protection District  Silent Salute down Washington Street from Route 71 to Hudson Crossing Park 9 a.m. Opening of Walk of Honor at Hudson Crossing Park 12:30 to 1 p.m. Oswego High School Band and Choir with location TBA 1 p.m. Reading of…

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Jillian Duchnowski

3:10 pm on Thursday, September 8, 2011

Also, this community worship service will memorialize Sept. 11, too, in another Yorkville park: http://patch.com/E-hj8F   more ›

Editor's Corner

Patch Asks: What Do You Remember Most?

Readers, please share your thoughts on the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

I remember newscasters crying on the air. I remember sitting in a friend's fraternity house, watching a newscaster cry and being amazed that we were watching the news for hours on end. I remember wondering if some of these fraternity brothers would be called to fight in whatever war came from the attacks. I remember being shaken by photographs of the American flag at half staff outside the White House, chilled at the thought that it also might have been a target. I went for a walk and found profound peace at a campus prayer service I happened upon with a friend. I briefly considered giving blood. In the days after, I remember feeling disgust and shame at reports of racial hatred targeting Islamic Americans, saddened that those stories were…

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Jillian Duchnowski

4:01 pm on Sunday, September 11, 2011

From Stella (on Facebook): In the middle east. Husband came home, we switch tv's on with the kids and were watching surreal images. CNN, Al Jazeera and BBC. Streets were empty, expats in their homes. I just hugged my kids, called family and were too shocked. Helpless. SAD.   more ›