SOMERSET COUNTY - After more than seven years of planning and fund-raising, work is about to officially get underway on the permanent Fight 93 National Memorial. A ground-breaking will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at noon.

 Last month the national park service had finally completed acquiring the 2,231 acres of land needed for the permanent National Memorial Authorized by Congress. That step cleared the way for the ground-breaking. Just a few hundred yards from the temporary Fight 93 Memorial, a reviewing stand has been set up and is awaiting Saturday's Ceremony and a large group of dignitaries.

 For the people who have been working to protect what they call a sacred site for the past eight years, starting construction of the permanent memorial is a big deal. Among those visiting this site on the day before the ground-breaking were a number of people who strongly support efforts to preserve the crash site. Other visitors say they look forward to coming back when the permanent memorial is in place. The temporary Memorial continues to draw ten of thousands of visitors every year. And those numbers are expected to grow when the $58 million first stage of the permanent memorial is completed. Site volunteers say this hallowed ground touches all kinds of people.

 The Saturday ground-breaking is scheduled to start at noon at the Flight 93 site in Somerset County. A number of Federal, State and Local Dignitaries are expected to take part along with Flight 93 family members. The event is open to the public.