WNC Step Climb gives people opportunity to reflect on 9-11

The death and destruction caused by terrorists at the World Trade Center and Pentagon 18 years ago remained close to people’s hearts and memories Wednesday during a memorial event at Western Nevada College in Carson City.

Students, staff, community members and Carson City Fire Department Station 51 participated in WNC’s Memorial Step Climb to commemorate the 18-year anniversary of the deadliest terrorist act in world history when nearly 3,000 people died, including more than 400 first responders. Participants reflected on that tragic day, viewing a display of photos, exhibits and names of those who lost their lives on Sept. 1, 2001, as they walked flights of stairs in the Cedar Building. Each flight of stairs climbed by a participant counted toward the goal of reaching the 110 flights of stairs in the original Twin Towers.

WNC’s Veterans Resource Center presented the event, and VRC coordinator Vincent Rivera said there were 55 participants and 340 flights of stairs climbed during a two-hour period.

“When the student workers of the Resource Center and I had our first meeting as a group, one of their major goals was to show our community that serving does not end after your military service. We decided that Sept. 11th was going to be a great opportunity to remind people that ‘veterans’ were not the only people who served the common good,” Rivera said. “To have Fire Station 51 take time out on what is a sacred day for first responders, come up and participate and then thank the students for putting on the event made it that more special.”