September 11 Remembrance Taking Place at Cmdr. Dan Shanower Memorial

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — The City is partnering with Naperville Responds for Veterans for the annual September 11 remembrance event. This year’s event marks the 23rd anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the nation and the 21st anniversary of the Shanower Memorial.

The remembrance will take place starting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11, at the Cmdr. Dan Shanower Memorial, located behind the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St., along the Riverwalk. In case of rain, the event will be held in City Council Chambers. The Naperville Municipal Band will begin playing music at 5:45 p.m. 

This year's speaker is Elizabeth McConkie, a high school senior. McConkie was chosen to speak at the September 11 Remembrance after impressing judges with her essay in the Voice of Democracy contest. McConkie will represent Sycamore IL Post 5768 VFW and Auxiliary and VFW 19th District Illinois. Mayor Scott A. Wehrli, Police Chief Jason Arres and Fire Chief Mark Puknaitis will deliver brief remarks.

The memorial was designed as a tribute to Cmdr. Dan Shanower, a Naperville native and Navy officer who died at his post in the Pentagon on 9/11, as well as all those who died in the terrorist attacks that day. The Naperville memorial, one of the first in the nation to be completed, was dedicated on Sept. 11, 2003.

For more information on the City of Naperville, visit www.naperville.il.us. To sign up for the City’s notification system Naper Notify and receive important emergency and community information via a phone call, text message, email or smart phone app, visit www.napernotify.com.

About Naperville: Located 28 miles west of Chicago, Naperville, Ill., is home to approximately 150,000 people. This vibrant, thriving city consistently ranks as a top community in the nation in which to live, raise children and retire. The city is home to acclaimed public and parochial schools, the best public library system in the country, an array of healthcare options and an exceptionally low crime rate. Naperville has ready access to a variety of public transportation, housing and employment options. The city’s diversified employer base features high technology firms, retailers and factories, as well as small and home-based businesses. Residents also enjoy world-class parks, diverse worship options, the opportunity to serve on several City boards and commissions, a thriving downtown shopping and dining area, a renowned outdoor history museum known as Naper Settlement and an active civic community. For more information, please visit our website at www.naperville.il.us.