Judy Corwin Helps Villagers Celebrate Patriot Day

Who knows what Patriot Day (which is marked on our calendars) is all about?  Well, it is not about a New England football team! 

Patriot Day was established by President George W. Bush as an annual observance to honor all those lost on September 11, 2001. 

This day has slipped by for many years without so much as an acknowledgment by “small-town” America.  Yes, we see the pictures on television of the planes flying into the Twin Towers played over and over by the television networks on 9/11each year.  

But what about Hot Springs Village?  Because of the pandemic, 2020 subdued so many iconic celebrations that we Americans looked forward to.  We promise this year is going to be different and it has to do with Judy Corwin. She alone is tackling the task of remembering. those lost on 9/11.

In 2012, the Corwins drove to Shanksville, PA.  At the time of their visit, there were only granite markers for the passengers of Flight 93.  They marveled at the beauty of the site in the middle of a field out in nowhere. 

No museum was built — no 93 ft. Tower of Voices existed.  Only the sound of the birds and the wind whistling through the surrounding fields could be heard. 

Judy and Bob started supporting the Friends of Flight 93 and the efforts to raise money to develop this hallowed ground into the magnificent Memorial National Park that it has become.  

In 2016 (which was the 15th anniversary of the terrible attack on our country) Judy purchased the rights to perform the play, The Guys, written by Anne Nelson. 

She and fellow actor, Jack Iafrate, played the writer and New York Fire Department captain who worked together to help him give eulogies for nine of his men lost in the Twin Towers.  It was well-received by over 350 villagers in attendance at the Coronado Center and all proceeds went to our local firemen.  

In 2018, a poem written by Judy was sent to Governor Tom Ridge, who formerly was the head of Homeland Security under President Bush. He was then honorary co-chairman of the Flight 93 project and she thought it might be used to support fund-raising.

Instead, her poem, A Field of Honor Forever, was given to the families of the passengers and crew who tried to prevent that plane from being taken over.  

What is Judy up to this year? 

She learned that nothing was planned for the 20th anniversary, Saturday, September 11, 2021.  She decided that she would produce a ninety-minute program to be performed at 2:00 pm that afternoon at Woodlands Auditorium. 

The program will include music, local speakers and performers, student artwork from the Jessieville School District, some wonderful videos and will provide an outlet for our patriotic community to show that “Village” Patriot Day should be observed every year in some form or another.

Tickets are required to fill the 625-seat Woodlands Auditorium and are available free of charge at the Ponce de Leon office, which is adjacent to the auditorium.  You may also obtain your gratis tickets from Thundertix by clicking here.

A free-will offering will be taken at the time of the program with all proceeds going to the three memorial sites -The National 9/11 Memorial & Museum, the Pentagon Memorial Fund, and Friends of Flight 93. Anyone submitting a check to one of these three organizations will receive a tax-deductible receipt directly from the fund. Let’s get together and show our patriotism by attending and filling the Memorial offerings plates.

For more information, Judy Corwin can be contacted by email at jagc3508@gmail.com.

“WE WILL NEVER FORGET“

“GOD BLESS AMERICA”

Contributed by Rick Federick, Communications Committee, Kirk of the Pines

Photo courtesy of Jamie Federick

August 5, 2021