When the United States was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001 many of us actually watched as the horror unfolded on live television.
Glued to the screen, we called loved ones and looked on in disbelief as the two towers collapsed, people ran for their lives and the Pentagon burned.
We later took some solace when we learned about the heroic efforts of the passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 93 as they fought terrorists for control of the plane and the forever rallying words "Let's roll."
Rather than divide us, this unprovoked, evil act stirred a righteous indignation within us and united Americans in a way that few things could ever accomplish.
On this 25th anniversary of the attacks, people will again gather in remembrance. Here are several 25th anniversary 9/11
events in Palm Beach County.
West Palm Beach F.D. 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, West Palm Beach
Honor the fallen heroes of 9/11 by taking on a 110-story Stair Climb in tribute to their courage and sacrifice. Join the community for this meaningful challenge symbolizing remembrance, resilience, and perseverance.
The event is 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12. 515 N. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach. Information: wpb911stairclimb.com
25th Anniversary 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony, Wellington
The Village of Wellington, in partnership with the Fire Chiefs’ Association of Palm Beach County, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, Palm Beach County, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, will host a morning of remembrance honoring the victims and all those affected by the attacks of September 11, 2001. The ceremony will feature a keynote address by Lt. Colonel Todd Beer, an Air Force One pilot who transported President George W. Bush on Sept. 11, 2001. Master of ceremonies will be WPTV, New Channel 5's Ashley Glass.
The ceremony begins at 8:46 a.m. (the time American Airlines 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center, marking the beginning of the attacks) Friday, Sept. 11. Wellington Amphitheater, 12100 Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington. Free. Information: wellingtonfl.gov
25th anniversary 9/11 Memorial Ceremony and Stadium Stair Climb, Boca Raton
Florida Atlantic University will host a 25th anniversary 9/11 memorial ceremony and stadium stair climb fitness challenge on Friday, Sept. 11. The service, in remembrance of the 2,976 people who lost their lives, will be held at Flagler Credit Union Stadium outside of Gate 1, near the Owls Perch. FAU President Adam Hasner is among the scheduled speakers. The stair climb challenge will begin promptly at 8:46 a.m., the moment the first airplane hit the World Trade Center. It will be a 10-round, 2,050 step climb, symbolizing the 110 floors ascended by first responders in the World Trade Center towers. The event is taking place in partnership with the FAU Police Department; Division of Student Affairs and FAU’s U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps.
The event will begin at 8 a.m. Friday, Sept. 11. Flagler Credit Union Stadium, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton. Free. Information: calendar.fau.edu/event/911 fausports.com/facilities
9/11 Memorial Blood Drive, Seacoast Bank
![A phlebotomist with OneBlood greets a blood donor at one of their buses parked at the temporarily closed Palm Beach Outlets Sunday, March 29, 2020. For the next four weeks, through April 20, OneBlood will be there at the Congress Street entrance from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Fridays through Mondays. Donors will be asked to provide their cell phone number so they can wait in their car or outside in the shade until they are called in to donate. While walk-ins will be accepted, donors are encouraged to make online appointments at www.OneBlood.org . Mini physicals will be conducted, including temperature check, to ensure donors are healthy on the day of donation. People who have traveled to countries at high risk for the coronavirus are asked to refrain from donating blood for 28 days upon returning to the United States. [LANNIS WATERS/palmbeachpost.com]](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2023/11/08/NPPP/71510130007-032920-cv-blood-drive-01.JPG)
In a tribute to the lives lost and the heroes who emerged on Sept. 11, 2001, OneBlood and Seacoast Bank will host special 9/11 Memorial Blood Drives. Select Seacoast Bank locations across Florida will welcome the iconic Big Red Bus, inviting the community to turn a day of remembrance into a day of lifesaving action. This year marks 25 years since the 9/11 attacks and also coincides with a milestone for Seacoast Bank, which is proudly celebrating 100 years of service. Blood donors will receive a special "25 Years of Remembrance" T-shirt, a $20 eGift card, and a free wellness checkup.
The events are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11. 3001 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens; 2090 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., West Palm Beach; 12796 Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington. Information: oneblood.org/donate
Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at eritz@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach County events marking 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks
