Thousands of men and women went about their normal daily routines the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.

They boarded planes and subways, sat at their office desks, drove patrol cars or sat in fire engines, unaware they would never be returning home.

Plans are underway to place a permanent memorial at Liberty Park in Inverness for the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The memorial, to be constructed by Central Florida Monument Company, will be erected near the front of the park and will feature a piece of steel from the World Trade Center towers in New York City. The steel was obtained by Andy Tarpey, a retired New York Port Authority officer, who had several colleagues killed in the WTC attacks.

Every Sept. 11, Tarpey and members of the National Association of Retired Law Enforcement Officers (NARLEO) put together a memorial exhibit inside the Inverness City Council chamber, featuring artifacts from the attacks that include the piece of steel.

The exhibit has become one of the largest private collections commemorating the tragic events, and draws hundreds of visitors each year.

Tarpey and others – along with the City of Inverness -- are collecting donations for the memorial.

The approximate cost to build the monument is $10,000. The memorial will include an inscription that reads: “Dedicated to the courage, strength and indomitable American spirit of those who perished and those who persevered during the events of September 11, 2001. Inverness Remembers.”

Anyone interested in making a contribution can send a check to the City of Inverness, care of the 9/11 Memorial Monument Fund, 212 W. Main Street, Inverness, Fl 34450.

For more information, call (352) 726-2611.