Owego Presbyterians join this Tuesday’s National Memorial for Lost COVID-19 Lives

The First Presbyterian Union Church, located at North Avenue and Temple Street in Owego, will ring the tower bell on Tuesday, Jan. 19, at 5:30 p.m., joining churches across the country in ringing bells for a national moment of unity and remembrance for those who have died of COVID-19.  

The United States reported a new daily record of more than 4,200 deaths on Tuesday, Jan. 12, bringing the nation’s total to more than 381,000 deaths since the onset of the pandemic. The Owego Presbyterians plan to have volunteers ring their bell for a total of 64 times to remember the COVID deaths in Tioga County. The church hopes others in Owego will join in ringing their bells.

President-elect Joe Biden’s inaugural committee recently announced it is hosting a national memorial to remember and honor the lives lost to COVID-19 and is asking cities and towns around the country to participate. 

The memorial will take place at 5:30 p.m., Eastern Time, on Jan. 19 and will include a lighting ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., according to a news release from the Presidential Inauguration Committee. 

The committee says they are inviting cities and towns across the country “to join Washington, D.C. in illuminating buildings and ringing of the church bells at 5:30 p.m. EST in a national moment of unity and remembrance.” 

In a release, the committee stated, “In the midst of a pandemic – when so many Americans are grieving the loss of family, friends, and neighbors – it is important that we honor those who have died, reflect on what has been one of the more challenging periods in the nation’s history, and renew our commitment to coming together to end the pandemic and rebuild our nation.”