The La Junta Legacy Project united our community for a powerful two-day observance for the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 to honor the 33 Colorado victims of 9/11, our local first responders, and, just as importantly, our veterans.

 

Alongside our local partners including the City of La Junta, the East Otero School District, the Chamber of Commerce, and American Legion Post 9, our community came fully together to bring our commemoration to fruition and success.

 

This milestone commemoration event unfolded across two distinct, purposeful days. The first day, a Day of Remembrance, was dedicated to solemn tribute and honoring our heroes. However, this solemn tribute was grounded by a profound highlight from a family member of a Colorado 9/11 victim, who gently reminded us of a vital truth: while our first responders and soldiers knew the risks and chose to put themselves in harm's way, the victims inside the buildings and on the airplanes did not have a choice. They were civilians with dreams of the future, holding down jobs, pursuing visions of what was ahead, and living as beloved family members—sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, spouses, mothers and fathers—whose lives were all taken away in an instant, leaving our world to pay the price for it ever since. That innocent reality makes their loss all the more heartbreaking and tragic. For those of us alive when it happened, September 11th is embedded deep into our memories.

 

For today's students—who were born after 2001—the telling of what happened on September 11 is a history lesson. The second day of this commemoration brought our community from remembrance to active service, made possible under the vital fiscal sponsorship of Arkansas Valley Hospice and generously supported by 9/11 Day and AmeriCorps, giving our students a tangible way to understand it. Each of our service projects was dedicated to at least one of the Colorado 9/11 victims, ensuring that our students learned about these individuals and saw firsthand what capable, extraordinary people we lost that day.

 

The Day of Service opened with a Memorial 5K walk/run in tribute to our local hero, Staff Sergeant Brian Cowdrey, who went to war because of 9/11 and was killed in Afghanistan in 2011. Following the race, local student leaders from FFA, FBLA, NHS, NJHS, the First Church Youth Group, and our school woodshop classes rolled up their sleeves for hands-on municipal revitalization across 14 sites that act as living tributes, beautifying our town and making it a showcase. Working alongside dedicated educators, students completed essential landscaping, beautification, and cleanups at high-visibility public spots, including the Train Park Hill and the Santa Fe Plaza.

 

Beyond the revitalization, our community connected remembrance to action. Valley Cowboy Church put together and delivered care packages to local first responders to show appreciation for their daily service. We also finalized our 2051 time capsule for burial at Fairview Cemetery, ensuring that the history and lessons of this milestone anniversary are preserved for the future.

 

Ultimately, this project reminded us of a vital truth: we cannot allow malicious acts to define who we are as a people or a nation. While we cannot save the whole world, we can take care of ourselves and those immediately around us. La Junta is the town we live in, and the lesson learned is that it is our home and we can and should make it a better place to live. We are also mindful of our neighbors who live in Colorado, showing them that our hearts share in their trials and grief as well.

 

We are deeply grateful to Arkansas Valley Hospice, 9/11 Day, and AmeriCorps for supporting our Day of Service, and to everyone who helped unite our community in remembrance and action.