New York policeman highlights worship

Publication Date: 06/17/02

By EVELYN GANDER
Staff Writer

From his college dormitory room on Sept. 11, Daniel Rodriguez Jr. watched terrorist attacks bring down the World Trade Center in Manhattan.

Months later and miles to the south, from a seat near the Main Stage at Centre College Sunday, he watched his father bring Americans to their feet at the Great American Brass Band Festival.

On Sept. 11, it took years of hatred, demonic planning and piles of money to bring down the Twin Towers. On Sunday morning, it took New York City Police Officer Daniel Rodriguez singing the first words of "God Bless America" to bring people to their feet.

From their home in Staten Island, New York,
Rodgriguez and his 18-year-old son came here to the 13th annual Great American Brass Band Festival to help "Celebrate America."

In his sermon at the Community Worship Service
Sunday, the Rev. Lance Perry described the need "to color outside the lines" in order to keep "a life of faith." The minister of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) added, "It's been a difficult year for our nation and our world. Now, more than ever, it is necessary to color outside the lines."

Perry's message may have been about doing more
than the minimum, trying harder, caring longer. 

And going the extra mile. Driving 1,000 miles from their home in Windham, New Hampshire, Tom Faulconer, his wife Adi and their children, 7-year-old Shelby and 11-year-old Jordan came back a few days ago to the place where Tom Faulconer grew up. They came back to be with family. They came back to be with Tom's parents, E.P. and Linda Faulconer of Harrodsburg, who had 50 reasons to hold a family celebration.

"Their golden anniversary was last week," said
Faulconer, about the extraordinary date his parents marked.

The younger Faulconer said he and his family will have to leave Tuesday to head back north to their home near Boston. "And I'll be back at work Thursday morning, 6:30."

Sitting between his parents at the Community Worship Service, Faulconer knew the thousand-mile trip back to New Hampshire was waiting.

But here on Sunday morning, it could wait. 

There was an anniversary to celebrate, a Father's Day to celebrate and a family to celebrate them with.

"What a celebration. Happy Father's Day!" proclaimed the Rev. Ben Carter of Christ the Head Missionary Church, to the congregation in lawn chairs that dotted the green space across Centre College, from Main to Walnut Street and from Cowan Dining Commons up the hill to Old Centre.

It was that green space that caught the heart of
Daniel Rodriguez Jr. "I think it's gorgeous here," said the sophomore at Wagner College located on Staten Island. 

Reluctantly, he got around to talking about his being on the college wrestling team and the football, baseball, wrestling, and track and field he had participated in during high school.

But the young man who saw Kentucky for the first
time Sunday at the 13th annual Great American Brass Band Festival wanted to talk more about where he hopes to go than where he has been. He is taking science courses, studying to be a nurse. "I want to go on and be an orthopedic surgeon," he said.

Watching his father at the service, he knew years of studying were waiting for him. Sunday morning, they could wait.

Daniel Rodgriguez Jr. was here with his father. In a brand new place for a festival that struck classic
chords of patriotism.

When he sang "The Lord's Prayer," Sunday morning, Daniel Rodgriguez looked above the trees that had caught the attention of his son. When the service ended, the New York City Police officer who had gone into the rubble of the World Trade Center to find survivors looked into the faces of people who lined up to thank him.

Daniel Rodriguez gave them a reason to stand up Sunday morning. 

And the Great American Brass Band Festival gave him a memory of people. "I love it," he said. "Kentucky's an amazing state."