The Orange County Register
National Day of Prayer has locals out in force showing support for victims of terrorist attacks
September 18, 2001
President George W. Bush proclaimed Friday as a National Day of Prayer and
Remembrance, and residents indeed took it upon themselves to honor and pray for
the victims of terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and on
the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
San Clemente High School organized a candlelight vigil beginning at about
6:30 p.m., which brought in approximately 2,000 people who filled the bleachers
at Thalassa Stadium ready with their makeshift candles set in plastic cup lids.
Principal Charles Hinman told the audience that the idea for the Friday night
vigil came up at about 8 p.m. Thursday.
``Thank you for coming tonight in this ultimate expression of unity in a
national crisis,'' he said.
Some of the teens in attendance said they had noticed a unique union among
students in the school.
``Everybody was clad in red, white and blue and normally you wouldn't do
that,'' said Patch Troffer, 16, who was walking with friends to the bleachers
before the vigil ``Everybody looked like this today -- everybody was matching,
everybody had their `I love New York' shirts ... they all shared the same
bond.''
``It's tragic what happened and it's good to be here to unite together and
show support for our country,'' said Michelle Campagna, 16. ``It's totally like
brought the whole school together.''
Nicky Budde helped organize the high school ceremony after all school
districts in the county canceled any athletic events and extracurricular
activities planned for Friday, which included the high school's football game.
``It's just been a ... wonderful group of football parents that had a giant
heart that felt our boys in our football team needed a place to express their
grief and process all the events of the week,'' Budde said on the football field
following the vigil, trying to hold back tears.
Kevin and Susan Sheehan heard about the vigil through their son, who is on
the football team.
``We just wanted to support the school in honoring the dead in the World
Trade Center and in Washington,'' Susan Sheehan said.
The couple said that they had returned that week from a funeral back east.
They had flown out of Newark, N.J. Monday night to Los Angeles International
Airport. Susan Sheehan is a United Airlines flight attendant and she would've
been working a flight from LAX to New York on Monday if they had not been at the
funeral.
The events on the East Coast hit many San Clemente residents close to home.
Including those joining employees of TrafFix Devices on Calle Pintoresco, who
put up fliers for workers in the Rancho San Clemente Business Park to join
together at the flag pole in front of their building at noon Friday for about a
half hour of prayer.
About 120 people showed up to the impromptu service, which ended in song with
``God Bless America.''
``I came because my daughter goes to school in Manhattan and she didn't have
to go to school that day,'' said Becky Collett, who works on Avenida Fabricante.
``I want to show my support and thank God for sparing her.''
Another show of community unification came from San Clemente Hospital, where
Chief Executive Officer Pat Wolfram asked chaplains from the Orange County
Sheriff's Department to come in to pray with hospital workers from about 4 p.m.
to 5 p.m. Friday. The prayer ended with the workers dividing up into groups with
the chaplains to discuss their thoughts and feelings on the week's events.
``I just felt it was really important to talk about, just to pray,'' Wolfram
said.
Churches also had their share of praying for the country.
St. Clement's Episcopal Church held prayer services last week
for Americans on the East Coast. Assistant Pastor Packard Okie led Thursday's 6
p.m. vigil. The half-hour service brought in 80 people Tuesday, 25 Wednesday and
about 30 Thursday, Okie said.
Betty Comer, a member of the church for 47 years, said she came ``to pray for
the victims of terrorism, their families and friends, for the people who lost
their lives helping others, our country and for guidance for people so that they
don't judge on the basis of religion and culture. ... We're all American.''
Grace Curiel works in the church.
Community
support for the victims of the East Coast attack continues via vigils, prayer
services and donations, amidst a city swathed in the red, white and blue of the
American flag.
Margarita Flores, speaking in Spanish said she attended the vigil, ``Because of the attack on the United States and to pray for those who have died and for those who are helping.''
``Prayer is very important,'' she said. ``It heals our spirits and lifts our hatred.'' Joan Marahrems said coming to church helps her deal with the national tragedy. ``I feel the need to be close to God I guess,'' she said.