AUSTINTOWN — A steady drizzle did not deter volunteers from showing up Saturday morning to take care of the Mahoning Valley 9/11 Memorial Park on South Raccoon Road.

Representatives from the park, as well as American Legion Post 301, Austintown Junior Women’s League, Junior ROTC and Girl Scout Troop 80899, among others, employed rakes, hoes, buckets and wheelbarrows to prepare for the sunshine and blooms that will arrive sooner or later.

Park Chairman Sam Swoger credits his friend Pat Connolly as the founder of the park. After the attack on Sept. 11, 2001, they agreed that Austintown needed a memorial to honor those who lost their lives as well as all first responders.

The community worked together to turn his dream into reality. Swoger took over as chairman following Connolly’s death in 2021.

Swoger noted various items in the park. Most prominent are beams from the World Trade Center. It also has stones from the Pentagon that was attacked and an urn containing dirt from Shanksville, Pa, the site of the United 93 crash.

In addition, there are separate brick paths to honor police and firefighters, as well as a gazebo in the shape of the Pentagon and a nondenominational chapel.

Mike Beaudis is a Master Gardner for the OSU Extension Office in Canfeld. He noted his appreciation for everyone who gave up their Saturday morning to do community service. He said that they are “leaders, not weeders.”

The annual 911 Memorial Park cleanup originally was planned for April 22, which was Earth Day, but heavy rains forced organizers to postpone it one week.

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