Several community members and local officials turned out Monday for the 21st Annual Freedom Walk to honor the victims who lost their lives in the attacks on September 11, 2001. The walk started at Owensboro Fire Department Station 1 and ended with a ceremony at the First Responders Memorial in the Courthouse lawn.
The Freedom Walk in Daviess County started 2002 on the first anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Maritia Stroud has made the half-mile walk each year.
Stroud said the event is important because no one should ever forget what happened on 9/11.
“This morning when I woke up, I got dressed and I got to thinking, people did the same thing (that day), and when they went into the buildings they never came home,” Stroud said. “I said I’ll do the walk and be fortunate to come back home again.”
City Commissioner Pam Smith-Wright is the event organizer. She said that it’s exciting to see young people get involved in the event, noting that local ROTC and color guard programs attended.
“It does my heart great seeing the schools and students join us every year,” she said.
Daviess County Judge-Executive Charlie Castlen said that even though the attacks were 22 years ago, the work that first responders do is still as necessary as it was then.
Speaking to first responders, he said “So often, you encounter your fellow citizens in a very dark hour of their lives.” Castlen thanked all first responders and families of first responders who “say their goodbye every day,” not knowing if their family member will return home.
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron also joined the walk. Cameron said that the first responders’ work throughout Daviess County and the Commonwealth has been important in fighting the opioid epidemic.
“It has ravaged so many communities across our state, and first responders have been instrumental in fighting back against the opioid epidemic and protecting our communities,” he said.
