Community members gathered in the adjoining hall of the Anchor Point VFW Post 10221 last Thursday, Sept. 11, for a quiet moment in remembrance for those who lost their lives in the 2001 terrorist attacks.
Last Thursday marked the 24th commemoration of Patriot Day. In his speech given to those gathered at the VFW, Post Cmdr. Chuck Collins honored the victims of and first responders to the attacks, as well as the families “forever changed” thereafter.
“Twenty-four years ago today, terrorists tried to destroy America. They tried to destroy our dreams and our enthusiasm to be patriots,” he said. “As we stand here, we are writing another page in our country’s ongoing story. Each generation faces its own challenges, and how we have met them determines what kind of nation we’re going to pass on to our children.”
Collins called back to the nation’s founding, when “regular people stood up for what they believed in” and “dared to dream.”
“They dreamed of something that now it’s our turn to carry on — carry that torch forward and light the way for future generations,” he said. “Our nation faces new challenges today. Some might say that these problems are too big to be solved, but that is not who we are as a people.
“The true nature of patriotism isn’t found in grand gestures … It lives in the daily choices that we make. It shows in how we treat our neighbors, help our communities and teach our children about responsibility and citizenship.”
Collins invited listening community members to challenge themselves to “be better citizens every day” through small acts of kindness and civic responsibility.
“That’s how we honor our past while building our future,” he said.
Community members gathered in remembrance of lives lost on 9/11 listen to a speech given by VFW Post 10221 Cmdr. Chuck Collins on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025, in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
The American and Alaska flags are set at half-mast in honor of Patriot Day on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025, at the VFW Post 10221 in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
