With an auditorium packed full of students, parents, grandparents and service personnel, Oct. 18 marked Voorhees Middle School’s 12th Annual Heroes Remembrance Day.
The event, which started as a tribute to the men, women and police canines who perished during the attacks on the World Trade Center, focused on honoring all the heroes of Voorhees Township, including those of the Voorhees Police Department, the Voorhees Fire District and The Animal Orphanage.
In addition, the event also honored students’ personal heroes with a pinning ceremony.
Prior to the presentation, seventh- and eighth-grade students were asked to write an essay about someone they saw as a hero. Their essays, once revised, were assembled along the hallway walls of the middle school as well as presented to their heroes during the pinning ceremony.
“I was in shock. I couldn’t believe it,” Isoke Keto said, describing her emotions when her sixth-grade grandson Jamiar Bullock announced that she was his hero. “I am so honored.”
Keto added that while she has received many awards during her 42 years at her job, having her grandson pin her topped them all.
While reading through her grandson’s essay, she said that many of her life lessons reverberated through Bullock’s essay, such as the importance of education.
“I’m surprised he had taken that in,” Keto said.
Event coordinator Noreen Saggese received the honor of being pinned for the first time by student Emmanuel Rogelio, who talked about her sense of humor in his essay.
Working since September on the event, Saggese and her team of two staff members and approximately 10 parents helped to bring the event together.
Saggese explained she began the event after 9/11 as a way to honor those who had perished during the attacks.
“The following year, we felt that we had to do something on our team to remember 9/11,” Saggese said.
In addition, the entire sixth grade wrote letters to both the Voorhees Fire District and the Voorhees Police Department, thanking all officers and fire personnel for their service, which were presented to representatives from each department.
Brett Bordi received letters for the Voorhees Police Department on behalf of his father, Chief Louis Bordi.
“This means a great deal to us, especially after 9/11,” Brett Bordi said.
Also on hand during the presentation was Patti Merovitz of the Animal Orphanage, who accepted donations from the sixth grade for the animals. Saggese explained that the donations to The Animal Orphanage are in honor of the K9 service dogs that were also among the emergency responders during 9/11.
Prior to the presentation, sixth graders had read “Sirius, The Hero Dog of 9/11” by Hank Fellows, which chronicles a K9 who perished in the attacks.
“There are so many wonderful donations, I can’t wait to bring them back,” Merovitz said as she addressed the audience. “To the cats and dogs of the shelters, you are their heroes.”
Mayor Michael Mignogna, who was also in attendance, spoke about his personal heroes, his parents, and what it meant to be a hero.
“True heroes are the ones who serve others,” Mignogna said. “True heroes are the ones who do good, even when no one is looking.”
Following the pinning ceremony, the students lead their personal heroes to the cafeteria for refreshments provided by students’ parents.
Local businesses also contributed to the celebration, including The Cake Stand, which delivered a patriotic sheet cake for the reception.
During the reception, Terry Silverman, grandfather of student Zachery Rosenburg, said he felt “fantastic” to be pinned by his grandson.
“What a feeling,” Silverman said.
As he read over the essay his grandson had written for him, he recalled Rosenburg’s accounts of his battle with cancer.
“He watched me go through some terrible times,” Silverman said.
Rosenburg added that he chose his grandfather as his hero because Silverman is always able to cheer him up and “make grammy well.”
