On September 11, the Town of Acton commemorated the attacks of 2001 on the United States. As it has done for the past two decades, the Town held a morning ceremony at the Public Safety Facility in front of Acton’s 9/11 memorial, which contains remnants from the Twin Towers, which fell on September 11, 2001. Many of Acton’s first responders observed the moment.
The ceremony was officiated by Police Detective Jon Stackhouse and included readings by Fire Chief Anita Arnum and Police Officer Stephanie Mixon, and remarks by Select Board Chair Fran Arsenault and Lauren Rosenzweig Morton. Philip Rosenzweig, husband of Ms. Rosenzweig Morton, was one of two Actonians killed in the attacks.
The other Actonian killed that day was Madeline “Amy” Sweeney, who was a flight attendant aboard one of the planes that was brought down. Ms. Sweeney relayed information about the identity of the hijackers to the ground during the attacks. Because of the bravery that she displayed, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts presents the Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery to a Massachusetts resident each year. This year Governor Maura Healey presented the award to Jillian Smith, 26, of Wales, MA in Hampden County. Ms. Smith entered a burning home to pull her neighbors to safety.
David Martin is a member of the Acton Select Board.