Ad Astra Per Aspera

The Kansas motto means, “To the stars, through difficulties.”  I’d like to tell you a story of how a small

band of Anthony volunteers did us all proud and lived up to their state’s motto.

Shirley Barrett, Sam Beam, Cynda Carr, Donna Crowe, Howard Hatfield, Debbie Mangen, and Pam

Schott have worked for two years to do something very special for the people of Anthony.  And in the

process they built a 9-11 Memorial, the significance of which has had an impact on the lives of people

here, across the state, and even across the nation.

I certainly don’t mean to imply that the Anthony 9-11 Memorial Committee did everything themselves

 – they had incredible help and support from many here in Anthony, Kansas, and all across the country. 

But anything as significant as the Memorial requires heart, vision, leadership, persistence, attention

to detail, and hard work.  The Committee displayed those qualities every single day. 

Saturday evening’s dedication of the Anthony 9-11 Memorial was, well, awesome.  Over 500 people

attended the services.  Fox News-national and all three local television stations focused on Anthony’s

tribute to the heroes of this generation’s Pearl Harbor.  Both the Hutchinson News and the Wichita

Eagle ran front-page stories about how the people of Anthony responded that day and since.

The five New York firemen who came to help dedicate our Memorial were in awe at what the people

of Anthony had been able to accomplish and responded warmly.  The sisters of our fallen hero, Joe

Spor, already so grateful for the care and support we’ve given Joe’s widow and children, were

overwhelmed with the Memorial itself and the kindness they encountered during their visit.  They

responded with a gift of a handmade quilt of pictures of and drawn by the Spor children.  As every

one of these visitors left for home, they expressed their admiration of and gratitude to the people

of Anthony.  September 11, 2004 was a shining moment in the history of Anthony, Kansas. 

But Saturday’s success wasn’t achieved without difficulty.  Getting the WTC steel, limestone from

the Pentagon, and soil from Pennsylvania took an incredible amount of creativity and persistence. 

Design and material flaws required flexibility and ingenuity.  Fundraising took courage and trying

new approaches.  Creative differences amongst the Committee required compromise and

understanding hearts.  Mean-spirited comments by the few people who chose not to understand

the purpose of the Memorial hurt a lot.  On more than one occasion tears of pain, frustration, and

anger were shed.  And yet, these remarkable people kept on towards their goal, as a team.

Ad Astra Per Aspera, “To the stars, through difficulties”.  Shirley Barrett, Sam Beam, Cynda Carr,

Donna Crowe, Howard Hatfield, Debbie Mangen, and Pam Schott; all the volunteers who worked

so hard.  Thank you for being living examples of our state’s motto. Thank you showing us how to

reach the stars.    

Last modified:  March 28, 2006  

Copyright 2002 Anthony 9-11 Memorial Committee

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