The Columbia Fire Department will be leading its eighth annual 9/11 Memorial Walk in two weeks and invites all to attend.
Capt. Nathan Guy, who has been a firefighter for 20 years, started the walk because he didn’t want people to lose sight of what Sept. 11, 2001 cost.
“I could see the initial slogan, ‘We will never forget,’ was being forgotten. The least I could do, in doing this as a career, would be to honor the ones that gave that sacrifice as well as those who are still doing it every day,” Guy explained. “Every year, for the past eight years, we’ve done it on 9/11. Whether it be a work day, Saturday or Sunday, we’re going to do it on 9/11 because when that tone goes off, it doesn’t matter what day it is, we’re going to go on that call.
“When that tone goes off, we go running and don’t question why, when or how. Now is the time, and it could potentially be the last time. We don’t want to think about it negatively like that, but that’s the reality we all have to face.”
Guy added the walk can also give the community the chance to come together as one and focus on the positive.
“Doing this walk allows everybody in the community who wants to come out to talk with us first responders. There’s so much negativity going on right now. If we can have one positive moment and people meet the first responders, we can try to shed something positive on our community right now because everybody is looking at the negative,” he said. “Along with honoring the first responders who have given the sacrifices, now it’s time to quit looking at the negative, build something positive and get a good relationship back with the community. This is the perfect time to do it.”
The walk will begin at CFD Station 2 at 101 Evergreen St. and proceed south on Mississippi 13 and Main Street before turning onto Second Street and stopping at the Columbia Police Department. From there, the walk will continue to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office then to Marion County Central Dispatch. Walkers will continue on Broad Street, turn onto Eagle Day Avenue and complete the journey at CFD Station 1 at 801 Pearl St. At each stop, there will be a moment for prayer or silence.
Guy said there will be transportation available for participants who need a ride back to their vehicles at Station 2.
The walk will begin at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11.
