EPHRATA - It's been 12 years since the 9/11 attacks, but many still remember exactly where they were, what they were doing when they heard the news.

Wednesday marked the anniversary of the attacks in 2001, designated by Congress as Patriot Day.

The American Legion Art Semro Post 28 held a Patriot Day ceremony Wednesday afternoon in front of the Grant County Courthouse to remember and honor the nearly 3,000 innocent people who died in the attacks as well as military servicemen and women, law enforcement, firefighters and emergency personnel.

Local law enforcement, members of the Ephrata Fire Department and American Medical Response attended with about 30 local residents as Legion members recognized those lost.

The Legion Post also took a moment to recognize military prisoners of war and those missing in action.

Grant County Commissioner Carolann Swartz, wearing a pin from her visit to the World Trade Center a year ago, said certain dates always stick in everyone's mind, including Pearl Harbor, 9/11 and the Boston Marathon bombing.

In a long-standing fire service tradition originated in New York, called "striking the four fives," five strikes of a bell, repeated four times, took place. The bell ringing is used to signify when a firefighter died in the line of duty.

The Art Semro Post also held a spaghetti dinner Wednesday evening, free to military personnel and first responders.