Norwich — The day that no Americans can forget nearly went by without a memorial ceremony in Norwich but for the weeklong efforts by members of the local chapter of the Greek organization AHEPA.

About 40 people gathered on Chelsea Parade on Friday to hear firsthand accounts by a survivor who worked in a building behind the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, and an American Ambulance crew member who worked for two days at Ground Zero helping to treat survivors of the attacks on the World Trade Center.

“I feel a little uncomfortable talking about it,” said Andy Zachariades, of Brick, N.J., supreme vice president of AHEPA and keynote speaker at the Norwich memorial event, “because I'm here, but 2,977 people are not.”

Zachariades described being covered with the black soot that coated everything in the immediate vicinity of the Trade Center.

Smoke and ash filled the narrow side streets and lingered. The smell of burning metal persisted for months, as the fires continued to burn below ground, he said.

“A lot of people just went to work that day to earn their living and never went home,” Zachariades said.

Damian Rickard was one of nine American Ambulance responders who arrived at Ground Zero just 12 hours after the first plane slammed into the World Trade Center.

They spent two days at the scene of the frantic recovery efforts.

Rickard, too, remembers the soot and the sickening stench, but he mostly remembers that businesses opened their doors in the grips of the tragedy and offered water, soda and food to responders.

Residents lined up for blocks to donate goods and blood.

Several speakers Friday recalled where they were when the first plane struck the World Trade Center and how they spent the day in a daze staring at the TV as events unfolded. “I didn't eat, didn't go to the bathroom,” state Rep. Doug Dubitsky, R-Chaplin, said.

Dubitsky had worked years earlier in an upper story office in the World Trade Center. He learned of the attack from his wife as he was driving to his Hartford office.

Ernest Pool, a Norwich AHEPA member, told the audience he was proud that the Rose of New England chapter was able to so quickly put together the event.

AHEPA officials received ready responses from several participating organizations.

The Norwich Police Color Guard led the procession that walked the length of Chelsea Parade, followed by the Three Rivers Young Marines and the Norwich Free Academy Band.

Two NFA band members, juniors Marcus Drab of Preston and Ryan Tirocchi of Lisbon, quietly separated from the band to take solo positions at opposite ends of the gathering.

They closed the ceremony with a duet of “Taps,” at times alternating their trumpet notes to echo off each other.

Organizing what they hope will become an annual memorial ceremony was more than just community service for AHEPA, members said.

The only religious institution destroyed in the World Trade Center attack was St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, located at the base of the south tower. The 1915 church was destroyed when the tower collapsed onto the building.

The small church parish spent years in political and logistical wrangling over its plans to rebuild.

Each parish in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has been asked to contribute $10,000 toward the $40 million rebuilding project, said Father Dean Panagos of St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church in New London. St. Sophia donated $14,000 last year.

The Norwich Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church is holding a pickup truck raffle through Sept. 30, with all proceeds to be donated to St. Nicholas. Tickets are $10 each and are available six days a week at a tent on the front lawn of Holy Trinity, 247 Washington St., Norwich.

St. Nicholas got the official clearance to start rebuilding Tuesday and plans to build not only a church but a public shrine for people to pray, reflect and light candles, Panagos said.

The new building will be reflected in the pools of the nearby Ground Zero memorial, and will shine white at night, he said.

“From the ashes comes light,” Panagos said.

c.bessette@theday.com

Twitter: @Bessettetheday