RALEIGH -- Hundreds of North Carolinians made their mark on a piece of history this weekend at the travelling September 11 Tribute Exhibition. Visitors signed and wrote personal messages on a large steel beam that will be used to build the National September 11th Memorial at the site of the World Trade Center in New York.

The traveling exhibit is raising money to build the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. The exhibit was free, but organizers were accepting donations. They have already raised $300 million, but they need another $50 million. Construction on the memorial started last year and is expected to be complete by the end of 2009.

Most people can tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing on September 11, 2001. Dave Carpenter, a retired FDNY fireman who was working that day, is just thankful he survived it.

“We were going into the second tower when it collapsed,” he remembered, visibly shaken by the memory. “I lost 30 friends that I know, one very good friend, my best friend Tommy Schoales.” Even six years later, he still gets goose bumps on his arms when he talks about it.

Carpenter now lives in Clayton with his family. He was eager to the see the traveling 9/11 exhibit, and thankful so many other people wanted to see it as well.

“Even though the whole nation experienced it, it seems like it's getting forgotten, and forgotten, and forgotten,” he complained. “It shouldn't be. It should be in the forefront of everybody's mind.”

Since the terrorist attacks in 2001, Durham resident Bill Amerson has been to Ground Zero in New York three times. He said each time, he gets a hollow feeling. Earlier this week, Amerson traveled to Columbia, S.C. to see the exhibit’s first stop. For him, it brings a ray of hope to that tragic day.

“As far as the memorial is concerned, it means a bit of redemption as far as honoring those that died that day,” he explained.

For some people the most important reason to visit the exhibit is to teach their children about the tragedy of 9/11.

Craig McDowell, a Wake County fire fighter, signed the steel beam for himself and his two-year old daughter, Abby.

“She was not born yet and I just think it's important she knows the sacrifices a lot of people made and how many people were lost that day,” he said while holding Abby in his arms. “I just want her to be a part of it.”

Eight-year old Chad Schmidt was just two back in 2001. Even though he doesn’t remember the attacks, it still touches close to home. His dad is a Raleigh fire fighter.

“I’m glad he wasn’t one of the firemen who died that day,” Schmidt said. He signed the beam because he wanted “people in New York to know I feel sorry for the people of 9/11.”

And as more names covered the steal beam, one entry stood out. It read, “Never Forget!”