POLK COUNTY, Fla. —  Winter Haven High School’s JROTC Color Guard is preparing to lead Winter Haven’s 16th annual 9/11 Freedom Walk Wednesday night for the city's Honoring Our Heroes — Remembering the Day event.

The Freedom Walk honors the lives lost during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania.

The students leading the remembrance event have only learned about 9/11 through history lessons.

For Junior Kyela Cummings, the day still resonates.

“I think it’s a big opportunity for my school and my color guard to be leading this 9/11 event,” Cummings said. “It just shows the youth still cares about what happened 23 years ago.”

Winter Haven High Schools JROTC program now has 175 cadets, the largest the program has been since LTC Senior Army Instructor Kevin Reeves took over in 2019.

“It gives them the opportunity to not only see but also do in the community and to help them remember what happened and to make sure we keep our heads on a swivel to always be alert when it comes to situation, when it comes to protecting the United States of America,” said Reeves.

The Freedom Walk starts in Downtown Winter Haven at 5:30 p.m. at South Central Park, located at 450 W. Central Avenue. Also, an Honor Our Hero’s Event is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Winter Haven’s South Central Park. 

More Bay area 9/11 remembrances

Tampa Police and Fire 9/11 Memorial Ceremony
9 a.m.
Tampa Firefighters Museum, 720 E. Zack St., Tampa

Patriot Day
10:30 a.m.
Veterans Memorial Park & Rear Admiral LeRoy Collins, Jr. Museum, 3602 U.S. Highway 301 N., Tampa


USF 9/11 Memorial Ceremony
8:30 a.m.
USF Sarasota-Manatee Campus Courtyard, 8350 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota


Tampa Bay Rowdies 9/11 Stair Climb
8 a.m.
Al Lang Stadium, 230 1st St SE, St. Petersburg


9/11 Memorial Stair Climb
6 a.m.
Bank of America Financial Center, 101 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa

 

Palm Harbor 9/11 Ceremony
10 a.m.
The Curlew Hills Memory Gardens, 1750 Curlew Road, Palm Harbor


New Port Richey 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony
7 p.m.
Sims Park, Grand Boulevard and Bank Street, New Port Richey



Winter Haven 9/11 Remembrance Day
5:30 p.m.
South Central Park, 450 W. Central Avenue, Winter Haven



9/11 Day of Remembrance Ceremony
12:45 p.m.
250 Municipal Drive, Madeira Beach

9/11 Heroes Run
8:46 a.m.
Park Square Plaza, 16132 Churchview Drive, Lithia

Phoenix Awards and 9/11 Ceremony
9 a.m.
RISE Monument on the ArtsXchange Campus, 515 22nd Street South, St. Petersburg

9/11 Remembrance
10:30 a.m.
Sims Park, Grand Blvd & Bank Street, New Port Richey

9/11 Memorial Community Event
8 a.m.
22843 Hale Road, Land O ‘Lakes