Twenty-five years after the September 11 terrorist attacks, the City of Kingfisher paused to remember a day that changed the nation while recognizing three local residents with a personal connection to the events in Washington, D.C.
Kingfisher Mayor Geoff Covalt opened the September City Council meeting Monday, Sept. 14, by reading a proclamation honoring Jared Harrison, Michael Sanders and Sam McPherson, all of whom were in Washington, D.C., on September 11, 2001.
For McPherson, the connection was even closer. He was working at the Pentagon that day.
The proclamation recognized September 11, 2026, as a day of remembrance, unity and service in Kingfisher, honoring the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives as well as firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency responders, members of the armed forces, public servants and citizens who responded.
But the proclamation also brought the anniversary closer to home.
By recognizing Harrison, Sanders and McPherson, city leaders noted that September 11 was not only a national tragedy. Its impact reached communities large and small across the country, including Kingfisher.
Their experiences, the proclamation stated, are personal stories worth preserving so future generations can better understand the significance of that day.
The city also looked toward the future, expressing its hope to support efforts that preserve the memory of September 11 and recognize those who lost their lives, those who responded and those who sacrificed in the years that followed.
Residents were encouraged to mark the anniversary not only by remembering, but also through service to others.
The proclamation called on Kingfisher residents to seek understanding, treat one another with respect, work toward peaceful solutions to differences and strengthen the bonds within the community.
It concluded with a simple challenge: commemorate September 11 through an act of service to a neighbor or someone in need, and carry that spirit of remembrance and service into the years ahead.
For Kingfisher, the 25th anniversary served as both a remembrance of a national tragedy and a recognition that even events taking place more than 1,300 miles away can become part of a small community’s own history.
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