CENTRE– Cherokee County will hold a memorial service Friday marking the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

First responders, local officials, and community members will gather to remember the nearly 3,000 people who died on Sept. 11, 2001. The observance will also honor the courage and sacrifice shown by first responders and civilians that day.

According to a county announcement, the event will begin with a procession of emergency vehicles through Centre. A ceremony will follow at the Cherokee County Courthouse.

Procession and ceremony schedule

Emergency vehicles will begin staging at Cherokee Plaza at 7:30 a.m. Then, the procession will depart at approximately 8:15 a.m. and travel through Centre to the courthouse.

The memorial ceremony will begin at 8:46 a.m. That time corresponds with the moment the first plane struck the World Trade Center’s North Tower 25 years ago.

David Glenn, president of the Cherokee County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments, will welcome those attending. Next, two local honor guards will present the colors.

The Cherokee County Fire Association Honor Guard will join the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard for the presentation. Centre resident Tony O’Neal will then perform the national anthem.

Afterward, Centre Fire Chief Robert Pace will lead the Pledge of Allegiance. A moment of silence and an opening prayer will follow.

The Rev. Jay Penton of Slackland Baptist Church will lead the prayer. In addition, Cherokee County probate judge and commission chairman Tim Burgess will deliver remarks.

Cherokee County Emergency Management Agency Director Shawn Rogers will also speak. Moreover, the program will include remarks from a special guest speaker.

Service to conclude with “The Last Alarm”

Chief Rich Lindsey of the McCord’s Fire Department will present “The Last Alarm” near the ceremony’s conclusion. The tribute will remember firefighters and other first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Finally, organizers are encouraging the public to attend and stand alongside Cherokee County’s first responders. The service will honor firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel, dispatchers, military members, and others who answered the call to serve.

Above all, the observance will remember the people who lost their lives and the courage that continues to define Sept. 11’s legacy.