Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
STAFF WRITER
Portales community members showed thanks for their local first responders Sunday as a means of honoring the lives lost in a tragic terrorist attack on the U.S. 15 years go.
Sunday marked the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001, in which thousands of people were killed, including firefighters and police officers who responded to the incident.
Local church pastors and community members gathered at First Baptist Church Sunday night to honor local firefighters and police officers during a 9/11 memorial prayer service.
“We’re remembering a very difficult time in the nation, but we are coming together as one body,” said Don Thomas, senior pastor at Central Christian Church
Staff photos: Kurt Munz-Raper
Local firefighters were recognized Sunday night at First Baptist Church during a prayer service honoring first responders, local fire fighters and law enforcement.
Multiple firefighters from the Portales Fire Department attended the service, along with a deputy from the sheriff’s office.
Thomas, Pastor David Heflin from Third and Kilgore Church of Christ, University Baptist Minister Steve Smith, Central Christian Church Associate Pastor Franklin Smith and Emmanuel Baptist Pastor David Taylor also spoke at the service.
“It’s important for the people of faith to express to our first responders how valued you are and how much we appreciate you,” Heflin said. “From my perspective, the overwhelming majority of first responders are heroes, and from my experience in this community, we are especially blessed with the men and women who really care about the citizens of this community.”
“We are reminded that our first responders face a difficult challenge as I pray we never face anything of huge proportions here locally,” Steve Smith said, “but they do face big issues, big time, big challenges, and I have the opportunity of recognizing those who helped to protect, to provide our protection and save some of our valuables as they go in to face fire.”
Franklin Smith recognized law enforcement from the Portales Police Department, the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office and the ENMU Police Department, as well as Roosevelt County Detention Center personnel.
“We’re just so thankful for the way that you protect, for the way that you serve selflessly,” said Franklin Smith. “It cannot be easy, but you do it anyway because you’re called to it, and it’s pretty powerful to see.”