Scotch Plains Plants Three Trees for 9/11 Victims

Kurt Horning knelt at Alan Augustine Green in Scotch Plains on Tuesday, September 1, and planted a tree in honor of his son Matthew — one of three Scotch Plains residents killed in the September 11 attacks. The township dedicated three memorial trees that day to Matthew Horning, Mark David Rothenberg, and James Walsh, planting living tributes as the community prepared to mark 25 years since the attacks.

Mayor Josh Losardo, Deputy Mayor Matt Adams, and Township Manager Margaret Heisey attended, along with family members of the victims, representatives of the Sergio Granados Civic Association, Groundwork Elizabeth, and Union County.

Diane Horning, Matthew's mother, spoke at the ceremony. So did Sergio Granados, a former Union County Commissioner and head of the Granados Civic Association, which proposed the tree-planting initiative. The association is coordinating similar memorial plantings in Union County communities that lost residents on September 11.

The three trees stand alongside Scotch Plains' existing 9/11 Memorial, dedicated in 2011. That memorial includes a steel beam from the World Trade Center and a pentagon of Pennsylvania bluestone.

Mayor Losardo spoke to the choice of planting trees rather than building stone monuments. "A stone memorial holds still. A tree does not," he said. "It grows, it changes with the seasons, and it will be here long after all of us standing here today are gone. That felt like the right way to mark 25 years."

The September 11 attacks claimed nearly 3,000 lives in total. Scotch Plains will hold its annual 9/11 Memorial Ceremony at Augustine Green, next to the Municipal Building, at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, September 11, marking 25 years since the attacks.

Union County Life covers Scotch Plains community events and civic ceremonies. Find more Scotch Plains events, businesses, and local news on Union County Life.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

FAQ

Q: What memorial trees did Scotch Plains plant?
A: Scotch Plains planted three memorial trees on September 1, 2026, to honor Matthew Horning, Mark David Rothenberg, and James Walsh — residents killed on September 11.

Q: Where were the trees planted?
A: The trees were planted at Alan Augustine Green in Scotch Plains, next to the Municipal Building.

Q: Who planted the trees?
A: Family members, including Kurt Horning, Matthew's father, participated in the planting. Mayor Josh Losardo, Deputy Mayor Matt Adams, and Township Manager Margaret Heisey attended the ceremony.

Q: Did anyone speak at the ceremony?
A: Yes. Diane Horning, Matthew's mother, spoke at the ceremony. Sergio Granados, former Union County Commissioner and head of the Granados Civic Association, also spoke.

Q: Why plant trees instead of monuments?
A: Mayor Losardo explained: "A stone memorial holds still. A tree does not. It grows, it changes with the seasons, and it will be here long after all of us standing here today are gone. That felt like the right way to mark 25 years."

Q: Does Scotch Plains have an existing 9/11 memorial?
A: Yes. The existing 9/11 Memorial, dedicated in 2011, includes a steel beam from the World Trade Center and a pentagon of Pennsylvania bluestone.

Q: Is the Granados Civic Association coordinating other memorial plantings?
A: Yes. The Sergio Granados Civic Association is coordinating similar memorial tree plantings in other Union County communities that lost residents on September 11.

Q: When is the annual 9/11 Memorial Ceremony?
A: Scotch Plains will hold its annual 9/11 Memorial Ceremony on Friday, September 11, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. at Augustine Green.

Q: How many lives were lost on September 11?
A: The September 11 attacks claimed nearly 3,000 lives in total.