COVID-19 is continuing to impact daily life around the tristate area, including upcoming Sept. 11 memorial ceremonies. But the chairwoman of the New Jersey 9/11 Memorial Foundation says that she is hopeful that the annual ceremony will take place this year, even though plans will be altered.

“Our 750 names of New Jerseyans that were lost are all on these walls,” Faith Miller says of the Empty Sky Memorial in Liberty State Park.

Among the names on the memorial are Miller’s husband Robert and Rosanne Hughes’ husband Thomas. Both women are integral members of the New Jersey 9/11 Memorial Foundation.

“It means so much to us, this memorial,” Miller says.

So does the foundation’s annual 9/11 ceremony at the Empty Sky Memorial and the memorial 5K race.

“Usually with our 5Ks, there’s a nice ceremony with color guard. We have bagpipers and the runners walk and they go through this memorial,” says Hughes.

But the pandemic has changed some of these plans, such as making the 5K race a virtual one.

“Which could be done from wherever you are and whenever between Sept. 1 and Sept. 13,” says Miller.

The ceremony had also been put on hold due to safety concerns. But Miller now says that the foundation is hopeful it will be able to hold its 9/11 ceremony this year.

“Since the park is open, we said, ‘How can we not?’ As family members, we want to make sure that our New Jersey 9/11 families and the community at large have a memorial to go to, so, we’re putting it together,” says Miller.

But Miller says that all attendees must comply with COVID-19 safety guidelines.

“Everyone would need to have their face mask and be 6 feet apart in their groups,” she says.

And although the ceremony may look different this year, Miller says that the sentiment will always remain the same.

“These loved ones should never be forgotten,” she says

The foundation aims to hold the ceremony at the Empty Sky Memorial at 3 p.m. on Sept. 11. More information can be found at the foundation’s website.