After a day of rain and stormy weather, the skies cleared on Saturday just in time for the seventh annual Tunnel to Towers 5K Walk & Run.
The event was held at Warren County High School, where a silent auction was set up to fundraise for the cause and vendors served food to guests.
To open the ceremony, organizer Joe Clark welcomed runners and audience alike with a rundown of the event and its purpose.
The event is named for the run firefighter Stephen Siller took on the morning if September 11, which began at the Battery Tunnel and led to the World Trade Center. Carrying his 60 pounds of turn-out gear, Siller ran the path on foot due to missing the initial call to the towers. Driven by his dedication to serving the people of New York, Siller would ultimately give his life at the World Trade Center after running through the tunnel, which totaled a little over three miles.
Siller and twelve men from Fire Department Squad Company One responded to south tower, and none of them survived the efforts.
“It’s called the Tunnel to Towers Foundation because we are doing this run tonight to honor the run that he made from the tunnel to the towers,” Clark said. “Which is why some of our first responders and our veterans run in gear, because we are honoring the sacrifice that he and others made that day.”
Among the crowd of amassed visitors was FDNY veteran, Lt. Pat Clancy, who responded to the World Trade Center and worked as part of the recovery.
The foundation itself provides homes to veterans and first responders who are catastrophically injured in the line of duty. These homes are custom-built smart homes tailored to the needs of the individual.
“Whatever their particular disability is, we make sure they’ve got a home just for them that they can live in and still enjoy their life after their sacrifice for us,” Clark explained.
In addition to the homes, Tunnel to Towers Foundation also pays the home mortgages for members of the military and first responders who are killed in the line of duty, easing the financial burden of the family left behind.
Three families of recipients were in attendance Saturday, including Kaitlyn Anderson, wife of the late Billy Anderson who was killed in Afghanistan; Dan Bristol, father of Master Patrol Officer Spencer Bristol, who was killed in the line of duty with the Hendersonville Police Department; and Cassie Bricker, wife of the late Fire Captain David Bricker of Murfreesboro Fire Department.
“I appreciate their being here as symbols of what we do, and I appreciate the courage that it takes for them to be with us,” Clark said.
Awards were presented to three deserving individuals. The Ray Meisenheimer Award, which is named for the firefighter with the same name, was given in his honor to Elsie Krinsky by Cassie Bricker. Krinsky is the first female recipient of this award, which is presented to those who have been pivotal support for the organization.
The Law Enforcement Award recipient for this year was Lieutenant Paul Springer, who has served 15 years in the law enforcement field. Springer worked for McNeville Police Department, been a SWAT operator, crisis intervention team instructor and is also a hostage negotiator.
Third, but certainly not least, was the Master Sergeant William D. Clark Award, which is reserved for individuals who are exceptional fundraisers. This year’s recipient came all the way from California to pitch in and is the first person to be given the award twice. Joni Smith, who raised $3,866 on her own, was recognized with the award.
This year’s event brought in 525 participants in the 5K, all of whom were given clip-on badges with the names and information of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice during the events of September 11. The race is not timed and all who take part do so to honor the fallen.
