Have We Become Too Complacent?

The events following the Boston Marathon bombing reminded Americans that we are still vulnerable.

Following 9/11, Americans had a heightened sense of alertness. At that point, the style of news coverage shifted, dramatically. Updates scrolled across screens as the main stories were relayed by reporters. What we, as citizens, were supposed to do in response to those danger alerts was unclear. Wear a bullet proof vest on the days that the alert was orange or red? Look closer at other travelers on the train? Prepare a will? Still, we were on alert, even if that simply meant ... aware, and nervous that "something could happen." As time distanced us from the 9/11 attacks, the sense of concern that another attack like that could happen seemed to dissipate. With the Boston Marathon bombing, subsequent death of one suspect and capture of …

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Jim O'Connor

12:00 pm on Monday, May 6, 2013

Milfordman. Please cite to a credible source or readers should assume you are making this up.   more ›

Question of the Day

POLL: Will You Do Something Today to Remember 9/11/01?

Today marks the 11th anniversary of 9/11/01.

Will you do something special today to remember the events of 9/11/01?  Take our poll and let us know. What will/did you do?  Tell us in the comment box below. Have more to say? Share your 9/11 memories with MedfieldPatch. Where were you when the world stopped turning?  

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UPDATED: Luminary Display Pays Tribute to 9/11 Anniversary

The 117-bag display was approximately nine feet tall and 13 feet wide and was composed of red, white and blue luminary bags.

A patriotic luminary display appeared on the lawn of the police and fire departments on Sept. 11 as a result of the efforts of Medfield’s American Legion Women’s Auxiliary Beckwith Post 110. “Our chaplain, Michelle Doucette, thought of the idea,” said Auxiliary President Lisa Marie Donovan. “We wanted to do something to commemorate the 10th anniversary [of 9/11], and wanted to do something for the police and fire departments to show them how much we appreciate everything they do on a daily basis to keep our community safe and secure. ... We thought the lawn of the police and fire stations would be a very appropriate place to do so.” The 117-bag display was approximately nine feet tall and 13 feet wide and was composed of red, white and …

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A 'Quiet Place' to Rest and Remember 9/11

In 2002, a granite park bench outside of the Medfield Public Library was dedicated to the memory of those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.

Kathy Brennan, Friends of the Medfield Library president, recalls a board meeting shortly after Sept. 11, 2001 as the origin of the granite park bench outside the library's entrance that serves as a solemn reminder of the tragic events that day.  "We were all very distraught, of course," said Brennan. "One of the board members suggested we donate the proceeds of our recent books sale to the 9/11 recovery effort." Brennan said "much discussion ensued" regarding the town's bylaws, restricting the "use of funds raised to materials and programs that benefit the library." The granite park bench was the result of those discussions, according to Brennan. "The Friends were hoping to offer the community a quiet place to rest and reflect after 9/11…

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Tips for Talking to Kids About 9/11

As the 10th anniversary of 9/11 arrives, many parents struggle with how to discuss those tragic events with their children.

We all remember where we were when the news reached us on Sept. 11, 2001. For those of us old enough to recall the events of that day and the decade that followed, what happened has become ingrained in our souls. On that day, our lives changed, as did the way in which we live them. Many of us even divide our time here on earth into two parts: ‘pre-9/11’ and ‘post-9/11.’ But for an entire generation of kids and counting, the only experience they have with 9/11 are the stories as they are told to them. Today’s fifth-graders were tiny babies when America was attacked, not old enough even to comprehend what was happening, let alone to remember it. And so it is now our responsibility to make sure that the next generation will understand what …

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Over 1,500 Medfield Students, Faculty Gather to Remember 9/11

Medfield High School and Blake Middle School students participated in a joint assembly Friday to remember 9/11 and learn of the strength of community.

At 9:02 a.m. Friday, with an overcast sky – unlike the clear blue sky in 2001, over 1,500 students, teachers and administrators from both Medfield High School and Blake Middle School joined together on the Calvin George Fischer Memorial Football field to remember the events of 9/11, to honor those who served and died and to learn about the importance of community since that tragic day, 10 years ago. Medfield High School principal Robert Parga opened the program. He spoke about how today's senior students were in second grade in 2001 and some of the sixth graders were only a year old. He spoke of how the world has changed since that day and the fact that most of these children have experienced 9/11 through documentaries.   "Almost …

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Get Out!

Weekend Planner: Sept. 9-11

Annual fair, 9/11 ceremonies and the great outdoors on the calendar this weekend.

The weekend is just around the corner. If the only plans you have are not to stay home because lounging on the couch and watching TV just don’t cut it anymore, then don't worry, Medfield Patch is here to assist you! Check out our list of suggestions of events to attend, places to go, sites to see – all within driving distance of home.  1. Annual Dover Fair Where/When: Dover Town House, 5 Springdale Ave, Dover; Saturday, Sept. 10, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Why Go: The Dover Parks & Recreation Department will once again host the annual Dover Days Fair Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. on the Dover Town Common. This 32-year-old-plus tradition promises a full day of fun for families of all ages. There will also be a 5K Pumpkin Ride Race, planned activities …

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Medfield Schools to Recognize 9/11 at Joint Assembly

Medfield High School and Blake Middle School students will come together for a joint assembly on Friday, Sept. 9 to learn and discuss the impact 9/11 had on American life and remember those who tragically lost their lives a decade ago.

Principals at Medfield High and Blake Middle Schools are using the solemn 10th Anniversary of 9/11 as an opportunity to teach students about the impact and significance that day had on America. “For the 10th anniversary of the tragedy of 9/11, [Medfield High School principal] Robert [Parga] and I have been [planning] to work together at the secondary schools to have a joint assembly, hopefully on the football field and really focus on the community aspect of the tragedy of 9/11,” Blake Middle School principal Nathaniel Vaughn said. “We want to make sure we recognize [9/11] in an appropriate manner.” The joint assembly will be held on Friday, Sept. 9 on the Medfield High School turf field at 9 a.m., weather permitting and will focus on the …

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Share Your 9/11 Stories and Memories

In recognition of the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11, Patch is putting together a special issue featuring your stories and memories as we remember those who lost their lives on that tragic day.

Nearly 10 years ago, life in the U.S. was permanently altered. The Sept. 11 attacks—four coordinated suicide attacks by al-Qaeda on American soil—took nearly 3,000 lives in total and forever changed our lives. The reach of the incident was widespread and all-encompassing, leaving an indelible mark on our collective conscience.  A decade later, the wounds are still healing. In an effort to show the impact of those events that now seem so far away, Medfield Patch is asking the community to come together and share thoughts and memories of that day. Did you lose a loved one that day? Did someone you know enlist in the military after the attacks? Maybe you decided to get involved in anti-war efforts? Perhaps a family member was one of many …

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Megan McAvoy

2:53 pm on Thursday, September 8, 2011

I was a freshman in college at Hofstra on Long Island. I had been there for about 2 weeks, making the adjustment from small town Medfield (and Ursuline Academy, so an even smaller high school) to big-city feel of Hofstra. I lived in dorms called "The Towers," with a wall of windows, way up on the 11th floor (a litte unnerving). I'll never forget that day. It was a Tuesday and I didn't have class …   more ›