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By Serena Carpino

On Saturday, June 14, the Setauket Fire Department held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil the latest expansion of their 9/11 memorial, located at Station 3 on Nicolls Road. The memorial now includes the names of the first responders who passed away due to the health conditions caused by toxins at ground zero. This latest addition to the memorial was led by Girl Scout Sara Bally of Troop 227 as a part of her Gold Award project.

The ceremony was a special time for first responders, family members and other community members to remember and reflect on the heroic actions of the victims of 9/11. Speakers at the service also highlighted the importance of honoring the victims who died later due to their exposure to chemicals and harmful debris. 

At the beginning of the service, they remarked on the necessity of the memorial’s expansion to include these first responders. Setauket Fire Department Chief Charles Regulinski said, “We affirm what we have always known: that the sacrifices are no less significant, their courage no less profound. They are heroes in every sense of the word. This space, these names etched into stone, is not just a place to mourn. It’s a place to remember. A place to learn.”

Bally, whose stepfather, Paul DiBiase, has been a member of the department for 34 years, also commented on the necessity of the memorial. She noted, “This memorial is more than just a collection of names. It’s a permanent reminder of the bravery, sacrifice and enduring legacy of those who selflessly served our community.” Bally, who has been a member of the Girl Scouts for 13 years, first had the idea to expand the memorial when she and DiBiase ran the Tunnels to Towers 4k. 

“It’s crucial to me that these individuals, who continued to suffer and ultimately sacrificed their lives in the aftermath of that day, receive the recognition and honor they so rightly deserve alongside those lost on 9/11 itself,” she said. 

Thus, planning for the memorial’s expansion began. In addition to meeting with the fire department and local businesses, Bally and her team fundraised with a spaghetti dinner. As an aspiring art teacher, Bally was particular about the design, as she wanted the expansion to be symbolic and intentional. Ultimately, she decided to surround the existing memorial with pillars of stone. The names of all of the first responders from the tri-state area who lost their lives due to 9/11-related illnesses were to be etched into the pillars. These names were read aloud at the ceremony on Saturday. 

The near two-year-long process has since inspired several Boy Scouts from local troops to further contribute to the memorial. Plans have already been made to add benches, water features and turf to the space. 

Several local politicians were also present at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, including Suffolk County Legislator Steve Engelbright (D-Setauket), Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico (R) and Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook). 

In his speech, Engelbright noted that county leaders had “hoped when [they] dedicated this memorial that the young people of this community would carry forward [and continue to ensure that] what happened on 9/11 would not be forgotten.” He also thanked the Scouts who contributed to the memorial for bringing everyone together. 

To conclude the ceremony, speakers again underscored the sacrifices of the first responders and the necessity of coming together in remembrance. “We will continue to honor [the fallen],” Regulinski said. “Not just in stone and ceremony, but with action, compassion and remembrance. May this standing memorial be a place of peace, pride and enduring respect for all those we’ve lost and all those who continue to carry their legacy.”

The expansion of the memorial was made possible with the help of several local organizations, including O Sole Mio Italian Restaurant, Olde Towne Gardens and the Three Village Dads. The list of benefactors is continuing to grow.