Radio station’s tribute to 9/11: Shoe memorial

On the 15^th anniversary of 9/11, there will be a large reminder of the attacks in Zarephath, New Jersey.

Star 99.1-FM, a Christian radio station based in the town, began collecting shoes on July 4. It has amassed 2,996 pairs, to symbolize the 2,996 victims who died in the terrorist attacks.

Saturday those shoes will be on display at the Zarephath Christian Church, with a small American flag placed with every pair.

The empty shoes, symbolizing those who no longer walk among us, will be on display through Sept. 16.

It’s the third time Star has sponsored such a remembrance, with previous empty shoe memorials in 2003 and 2012.

The church has a sad connection with September 11.

Todd Beamer, who famously yelled, “Let’s roll” as the members of Flight 93 stormed their hijacked plane’s cockpit, attended the church.

“The Empty Shoe Memorial will be a visually moving tribute designed to remember the men, women and children who died, honor our uniformed heroes and celebrate the spirit of strength and unity that surfaced in the days following,” says the station on its website.

The station relied on the donations of the community to get all the shoes, setting up donation events at malls, auto dealers, churches, retailers and festivals.

When the memorial has finished on Sept. 18, the station will donate all the shoes to the charity Soles 4 Souls, which collects shoes for those in need across the world.

Tags: 9/11 attacks, 9/11 memorial, 911