Polk County ceremony to honor lives lost on 9/11, in Afghanistan
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Polk County veterans will hold a ceremony honoring the lives lost on September 11th and in the 20 years of war that followed.
The Polk County Veteran's Council along with all Polk County Fire and Law Enforcement agencies will honor military members, first responders, and civilians who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks on 9/11 as well as service members who died in Iraq and Afghanistan, including 13 who died during last month's evacuation at Kabul's Hamid Karzai Airport.
The ceremony will take place at 5 p.m. at Winter Haven's South Central Park in downtown.
The event will begin with a Freedom Walk, led by the Lake Region High School Marine ROTC honor guard, to symbolically honor all first responders.
A boot display will give honor to each Polk County hero who has perished in the line of duty, including law enforcement, fire/EMT and military members.
MORE: September 11th memorial locations around the Tampa Bay area
Students from Winter Haven Christian School will perform musical arrangements and local Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts will lead the pledge of allegiance.
A multi-agency Honor Guard will present the colors and law enforcement agencies from across the county will have displays on hand.
The Winter Haven Police Department is the sponsoring law enforcement agency for the event with the Winter Haven Fire Department assisting from the fire department side.