LYNNFIELD — The Select Board announced Monday that the town will hold its annual First Responders’ Day observance and community barbeque on the Town Common on Saturday, Sept. 11.
The event marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. with the barbeque to follow.
Boston Anthem singer and Lynnfield resident Todd Angilly will kick things off with the national anthem. Angilly will also perform “God Bless America.”
“This should be a very nice morning on the common,” said Select Board Chair Dick Dalton. “We’re thrilled to have Todd, so it will be really entertaining and very moving. Hopefully, depending on COVID, people will be able to gather and wear masks if they choose. We encourage the community to join us not only to remember 9/11, but this is always a wonderful and important opportunity to thank our first responders as well.”
Dalton said the event has been a joint effort between the Select Board and the Lynnfield Rotary Club in past years, but this year’s expenses will be underwritten by the town.
“Normally, the Rotary Club solicits donations from its member businesses, but small businesses have been through so much, we decided we have the funds in our budget and we needed to do this ourselves,” Dalton said. “Both our fire and police departments agreed that we needed to take this off the hands of these businesses, which we are happy to do. It’s the right thing to do and we hope the community will come out that day and honor our first responders.”
Last year’s event was scaled back due to the pandemic. The town held a special private luncheon for Lynnfield’s police officers, firefighters and other first responders.
