Whether you were there or not, existing or not, or remember or not, the impact 9/11 has on the United States will always be felt.  

Having it be one of the most memorable days in American history, every year the country comes together to honor and reflect on a moment that changed the country forever.  

Madison College Student Life and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) came together this past week to reflect on this critical piece of history. They arranged multiple events and volunteer activities for students and staff, with friends and family members urged to join in. 

One of the service activities was a virtual remembrance walk, in which attendees walked 1.1 miles, the equivalent amount of miles it took firefighters to climb 110 flights of stairs in the World Trade Center Building as it was in flames.  

Walkers, runners and rollers could plan this remote event at any time convenient to them before Sept. 12. They were encouraged to take photos of themselves on their walks to share on WolfPack Connect or the PTK Instagram page with hashtag #PTK911WalkRun with a message of their choice.  

On Sept. 7, with the help of Student Life, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and other volunteers, a display was created in honor of the fallen. The display is outside of the Truax Health Building, on the circular grass bed.  

An army of mini flags now fly from the college’s ground, each flag honoring a life lost. There is also a list of names of those perished in the events that day including hundreds of first responders, thousands of civilians at the World Trade Center, as well as the passengers on the four commercial airliners and the pentagon.  

Surrounding the memorial stands multiple yard posts consisting of 9/11 facts. 

As each year goes by, there will always be the month of September, the day of the 11th, and an opportunity to reflect and honor the lives that were lost, sacrificed and the ones who are currently serving the United States of America.