BEACH LAKE, PA — Saturday, September 11, 2021 was celebrated with a parade in Beach Lake, just across the river from the Upper Delaware River community of Narrowsburg, NY.

It was a hometown tribute to the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001, when foreign terrorists attacked the American homeland. The parade also marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Volunteer Fire Company of Beach Lake (VFCBL), and the 91st anniversary of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Volunteer Firemen’s Federation (NEPVFF).

The attendance was a lot bigger than initially expected, as several fire departments and ambulance corps from both sides of the river joined the procession, along with antique and muscle cars, a couple of high school marching bands, and even a small cadre of dancing clowns.

“I did not expect the turnout we had. The support from the community was absolutely incredible,” said Tony Franklin, chief of the VFCBL and a 34-year veteran of that fire company.

“This is the 20th anniversary of September 11th, and the citizens who were lost, and the guys who died going into the towers, will always be remembered,” he added, noting that 343 members of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) were among those Americans who perished in the flames of the World Trade Center.

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