Prineville, Ore. — An annual memorial honoring the victims of the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks will return to downtown Prineville next week, with this year’s display carrying added significance as the nation marks 25 years since the attacks.
Roland and Mona Glade will once again put together the community’s 9/11 Memorial Display at the Prineville Town Plaza and Crook County Courthouse lawn, marking the fifth year the couple has organized the local tribute.
The display will begin going up Thursday, Sept. 10th, and remain in place through 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13th. It will be accessible around the clock, with the flags and other portions of the memorial illuminated during the evening hours.
Mona Glade spoke about the upcoming memorial during Tuesday’s Crook County Board of Commissioners meeting, describing it as an opportunity for the community to “remember, honor, and reflect.”
“Especially this year, being the 25th anniversary, it’s so important that we don’t forget about what happened to us on our land and those lives that were lost because of it,” Glade told commissioners.
The centerpiece of the memorial will again be 2,977 American flags placed across the courthouse lawn, representing those killed in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
Glade said one of the most meaningful parts of putting on the display each year has been hearing the stories of those who stop to visit.
“Everybody knows exactly where they were that day and what they were doing and what they experienced,” she said.
Last year, Glade recalled, two New York firefighters who had been firefighters at the time of the attacks happened to visit the memorial while in the area visiting friends. She said the two spent more than an hour walking through the display.
“It was so emotionally draining for them, but they were so glad to be a part of it and to see that there’s somebody out there doing what we do,” Glade said, describing the encounter as emotional for everyone involved.
The memorial is also intended to recognize the first responders and military personnel who served in the aftermath of the attacks and to provide a place for the community to reflect on an event that Glade said “changed our nation.”
While Roland and Mona have carried on the memorial locally, its origins go back to their late friend Chuck Poray of Lakeview, who Glade said designed and created the original display while serving as a deputy sheriff.
Poray died six years ago on his 65th birthday. The Glades now include a separate display beneath one of the memorial’s canopies honoring him and his role in creating what has since become an annual Prineville tradition.
Putting the memorial together has also grown into a broader community effort.
The Prineville Police Department, Crook County Sheriff’s Office, Crook County Fire & Rescue, Crook County Search and Rescue, Crook County commissioners and City of Prineville are among the local agencies supporting the event. Civic organizations and other volunteers also assist with setup and teardown.
Glade specifically credited NJROTC members for their help taking down the large display in past years. Local law enforcement and fire agencies also typically place emergency vehicles alongside the memorial during portions of the event.
Setup is expected to begin around 8 a.m. Thursday. The display will remain staffed throughout the event, including overnight security, before teardown begins at 3 p.m. Sunday.
Glade told commissioners that even after several years, watching people encounter the display remains rewarding.
Cars will sometimes drive past, slow down, turn around and come back to park, she said, with visitors stopping simply to look at or photograph the thousands of flags surrounding the courthouse.
Last year’s memorial attracted visitors from Prineville and surrounding communities, according to the Glades. This year’s event also has a new sponsor, God’s Country Photography.
Commission Chair Seth Crawford thanked the couple for continuing to organize the memorial and asked about security for the display. Glade said family members help watch it overnight and credited local law enforcement officers for routinely checking on the memorial.
“I really appreciate you guys doing that,” Crawford said.
For the Glades, however, the purpose remains centered on the people represented by the memorial and ensuring that, a quarter-century later, they are not forgotten.
“The 25th anniversary memorial display is an opportunity for our community to pause, reflect, and honor the lives and sacrifices connected with 9/11,” Glade told commissioners.
Mr. Alderman is an investigative journalist specializing in government transparency, non-profit accountability, consumer protection, and is a subject matter expert on Oregon’s public records and meetings laws. As a former U.S. Army Military Police Officer, he brings a disciplined investigative approach to his reporting that has frequently exposed ethics violations, financial mismanagement, and transparency failures by public officials and agencies.
