WESLEY CHAPEL – Twenty-five years after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel will gather the community for its eighth annual 9/11 Memorial Mile Run/Walk on Sept. 5 at Tampa Premium Outlets.
The one-mile run/walk steps off at 8 a.m. At 8:46 a.m. — the minute the first plane struck the World Trade Center — a ceremonial bell will ring and the field will fall silent. The club’s annual Hall of Heroes Ceremony and plaque dedication follow immediately after.
This year’s Hall of Heroes honorees are Pasco Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Ryan Jackson and K-9 Blake, recognized for their courage during a March shootout in the Moon Lake area, in which Jackson was shot and wounded while confronting an armed suspect.
The ceremony will also feature Lt. Col. Max Bowers, U.S. Army Special Forces (Ret.), who commanded the soldiers who came to be known as the “Horse Soldiers of 9/11” — the first American troops on the ground in Afghanistan, who rode into battle on horseback in the weeks after the attacks.
“Twenty-five years after Sept. 11, it is more important than ever that we continue to tell the stories of those who gave their lives that day and those who continue to serve our communities today,” said Chris Casella of the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel. “This event allows us to remember the past, honor heroes like Sgt. Ryan Jackson and K-9 Blake, and invest in the next generation of first responders who will carry that commitment to service forward.”
Net proceeds fund scholarships for graduating Pasco County high school seniors pursuing careers in law enforcement, firefighting, EMS and paramedicine.
Want to go?
- What: 9/11 Memorial Mile Run/Walk and Hall of Heroes Ceremony
- When: Sept. 5, run/walk 8 a.m.; bell ringing 8:46 a.m.; ceremony to follow
- Where: Tampa Premium Outlets, 2300 Grand Cypress Drive, Lutz
- Cost: $20; a $20 virtual entry is available for those who cannot attend in person
- Register: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/Lutz/911MemorialMile&source=gmail&ust=1788293869239000&sa=E
