Community members gathered on Wednesday for the annual Freedom Walk, a local event honoring the lives lost during the September 11 attacks and celebrating the unity and resilience of the American people.
The walk began at Owensboro Fire Station No. 1 and ended at the First Responders Memorial at the Daviess County Courthouse. Participants included students, veterans, first responders, and other members of the community who came together to remember the events of September 11, 2001.
Pam Smith-Wright of the AMVETS Ladies Auxilaiary Post #119 is one of the event’s founders and continues to organize it today. Smith-Wright said she was pleased with the turnout and the community’s ongoing support.
“I’m not really surprised by the turnout, because that’s the kind of community we live in,” Smith-Wright said. “We have people who are willing to come out and remember that important day in American history when those planes took down those buildings in New York. I’m so proud of these young people and our school systems for allowing them to participate. Some of them will be our future first responders, and they get a chance to be a part of something meaningful for the entire community.”
The walk begins at 11 a.m. every year to mark the date and time of the attacks. Though weekday events can limit attendance, Smith-Wright believes this year’s turnout was larger than the previous year.
“I see this growing every year,” she said. “We have two ladies here who have walked with us for all 22 years. We used to start at the Sportscenter and walk to the Shelton Memorial, but as some of our walkers got older, we moved the route to begin at the fire station and end at the courthouse’s First Responders Memorial. It feels like a perfect fit.”
Marine veteran Lou Drawdy, a regular participant, emphasized the importance of continuing events like the Freedom Walk to honor those who came before and to avoid repeating mistakes of the past.
“I do this to honor those that came before me and to remind those around me that we have an obligation to continue these types of activities,” Drawdy said. “This community will come together for almost any reason if it has to do with patriotism or supporting veterans.”
