(Madison) State Public Defender Nicholas L. Chiarkas will participate as a guest speaker in a 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony in the State Capitol Rotunda.

The ceremony, hosted by the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, will begin at 9:57 a.m. in the Rotunda of the State Capitol. The ceremony marks the five-year anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

In a statement to his agency staff that will be used as part of his speech, Chiarkas reflected, “Be strong. Pray not to be fearless, but for the courage to do what’s right even when you’re afraid. Honor those who fell by being strong.”

“We all know there are those who will use fear to try to get what they want. We call them bullies, thugs and sometimes terrorists. And I know there is a lot to be afraid of…it’s a scary world. So hold the lesson of 9-11 close: it’s not what you’re afraid to do; it’s what you do when you’re afraid, that counts,” Chiarkas added.

The ceremony will also feature speakers including Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton, La Farge Fire Chief Philip C. Stittleburg, and Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary Bill Kloster.

#30#