Rye High School students formed a human chain to Rye Presbyterian Church in the days after Sept. 11, 2001.

They passed donated items hand over hand into a yellow Ryder truck bound for Ground Zero.

The story, shared by Judy Murdoch, widow of the Rev. Dr. Richard Earle Murdoch, the church's senior pastor at the time, is resurfacing as Rye prepares to mark the 25th anniversary of the attacks on Friday, Sept. 11.

It started when a young woman asked Rev. Murdoch to use his church office to call radio stations and spread the word: bring supplies for Ground Zero workers.

He agreed. "I know goods poured in," Judy Murdoch told MyRye.com.

Rye High School had been running its own collection drive but had no way to get the items downtown.

The school asked Rye Presbyterian if its donations could ride along. Someone donated a yellow Ryder truck, and students and volunteers lined up between the two buildings, handing boxes and bags from person to person until the truck was full.

A local pizza parlor heard about the effort and added still-warm pies to the load.

The Rye Police Department stepped in next. Officers told the church the truck would have trouble reaching Ground Zero on its own and offered a police escort.

Rev. Murdoch drove the truck. The young woman who started the effort rode as his passenger.

At Ground Zero, workers welcomed the dry clothes, socks and pizza. One person joked about the one thing missing: cigars.

Judy Murdoch called it "a beautiful experience in a horrific time."

The community lost 15 residents in the attacks. Their names are inscribed at the Rye 9/11 Memorial Gazebo behind the historic Square House, overlooking Blind Brook off the village green.

Rye's connection to 9/11 remembrance continues to draw people through town.

Retired United Airlines flight attendant Paul "Paulie" Veneto pushes an airline beverage cart along routes symbolizing the hijacked flight paths.

He hit his 1,000th mile in Rye on Monday, Sept. 7, during his latest memorial walk toward Ground Zero.

"More children come out for me in Rye than anywhere else along the route," Veneto told MyRye.com on Sept. 7. "It was really special."

The city holds its annual commemorative ceremony Friday, Sept. 11, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Rye Firehouse, 15 Locust Ave.

The program includes remarks from Mayor Josh Nathan, a moment of silence and a reading of the names of community members lost.