Texas A&M Bonfire Remembrance Week marks 10 year anniversary of collapse
By: Laura Sanchez
Issue date: 11/13/09 Section: News
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The week will begin Saturday with a Bonfire display in Rudder Exhibit Hall and end with the 2:42 a.m. candlelight vigil at the Bonfire Memorial on Nov. 18.
"It's all about remembrance. It's nothing about bringing Bonfire back; it has nothing to do with that at all. It's all about those Aggies who lost their lives and remembering those who were injured," said Service and Bonfire Executive Lauren Chapa.
The Bonfire Exhibit will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day starting Saturday and will move to G. Rollie White Coliseum on Nov. 17 and 18.
"We'll have pictures that have a history of Bonfire from the early 1900s on until the collapse. We have a lot of pictures of the collapse, so those will be on display. There's also going to be a lot of memorabilia from that year. We'll have some of the old pots and all kinds of things, maybe one of the rings that somebody left at center pole," said Vice Chairman for Traditions Council Mason Etheredge.
Photos from the candlelight vigil from 1999 will also be on display.
"The photos are really going to show how the school united and came together in '99 to remember the students and honor their lives," Chapa said.
A remembrance program will take place at 8 p.m. Nov. 17 in Reed Arena. Doors will open at 7 p.m., and there will be open seating.
"We'll have opening remarks from Lt. Gen. Weber, and then we will be going through a little bit of the history of Bonfire. We'll also have a parent from one of the 12 fallen Aggies speak, but they're not confirmed yet, so we're not sure on that yet," said MSC Hospitality Chairman Ryan Dudley.
Student Body President Kolin Loveless and former 1999 Student Body President Will Hurd are scheduled to speak at the program.
"We're going to talk about just remembering '99 and honoring the lives of the 12 students who lost their lives in the '99 Bonfire," Chapa said.
The program will run similar to the annual Muster ceremony and similar to the program that took place the evening of the tragedy.
"I'm really excited to see how it all comes together. We've been working extremely hard on it and we're really excited to see the families and what they think about it. Hopefully we make them proud, and they're happy with what we've done," Etheredge said.
After the remembrance program the annual 2:42 a.m. candlelight vigil will take place Nov. 18 at the Bonfire Memorial to commemorate 10 years from the exact time the stack fell in 1999.
Candles will be provided by Traditions Council, but they are asking students to bring their own if possible.
"We're encouraging students to come out and be a part of this to continue that remembrance and to show our support," Chapa said.
The Bonfire Memorial is set up in a circular shape with 12 portals representing each fallen Aggie, facing in the direction of their hometowns. The center of the memorial commemorates where center pole stood.
"Everything that we're doing before then, the exhibit, the posters that will be around campus, the T-shirts on sale, that's all to encourage attendance on the 17th and 18th - That's what I'm looking forward to, the Aggie family coming together to remember what happened in '99 and to honor those who lost their lives and to just see that outpouring 10 years later and see that we haven't forgotten," Chapa said. "I think that's what is going to be a special part of it all, seeing students who never experienced Bonfire for themselves coming to this."
Saturday - Monday
Bonfire Exhibit, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Rudder Exhibit Hall
Exhibits of photographs and memorabilia related to the history of Bonfire prior to the 1999 accident.
Tuesday
Bonfire Exhibit, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., G Rollie White Coliseum
A continuation of the Rudder Hall exhibit of Bonfire photographs and memorabilia.
Bonfire Remembrance Program, 8 p.m., Reed Arena
A remembrance ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the night that Stack fell. The program will be similar to Muster, the annual remembrance of Aggies who have died during the past year.
Wednesday
Candlelight Vigil, 2:42 a.m., Bonfire Memorial
A candlelight vigil marking the 10th anniversary of the moment that Stack fell. The memorial, built around the site of the 1999 Bonfire stack, features portals honoring each student killed in the accident.
Bonfire Exhibit, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., G. Rollie White Coliseum
A continuation of the Rudder Hall exhibit of Bonfire photographs and memorabilia.
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