Woodlands Township to create Sept. 11 remembrance event

Ann Snyder, left, and Laura Fillault with The Woodlands Township Board of Directors are seen during a meeting April 26 in The Woodlands. Fillault is spearheading a Sept. 11 remembrance event. Ann Snyder, left, and Laura Fillault with The Woodlands Township Board of Directors are seen during a meeting April 26 in The Woodlands. Fillault is spearheading a Sept. 11 remembrance event. Photo: Jason Fochtman, Staff Photographer Photo: Jason Fochtman, Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Woodlands Township to create Sept. 11 remembrance event 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Woodlands Township Director Laura Fillault is spearheading an effort to have an event in the community to honor first responders on Sept. 11.

Fillault first asked about an event during the township's May 18 meeting.

John Powers, assistant general manager for the township, gave the board four options before Fillault announced she had recently learned House Bill 1937, signed into law in 2003, designated Sept. 11 of every year of Texas First Responders Day.

Powers suggested several options for an event including a day of remembrance at Town Green Park, a proclamation by the board, a national day of service that would organize community service projects on that day and coordinate students to write letters to those serving in the military.

He added the cost with a potential event would be about $3,800.

"I want to do an event, but that's me," Fillault said specifying the event should be in coordination with Texas First Responders Day and recognize local first responders.

Board member Bruce Rieser agrees adding the township should do more than a proclamation since it "doesn't pay enough attention to it."

The event, Rieser said, should be done the morning of Sept. 11.

"It needs to be in the morning," he said. "It was that time in the morning that so many first responders lost their lives when the towers came down."

Fillault asked the staff to bring the issue back at the board's next meeting.