Fifteen years later: Southwest Florida remembers 9/11

http://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/2016/09/08/fifteen-years-later-southwest-florida-remembers-911/90089588/

The following is a list of events being held to reflect on the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

9/11 Memorial Service (Fort Myers)
7 p.m. Sunday at First Assembly of God Church, 4701 Summerlin Road, Fort Myers. The one-hour service, featuring a number of area ministers and rabbis, will take place in the sanctuary. The public is not only invited to remember the 3,000 Americans killed on that day. In addition to speakers, there will be patriotic music by local artists as well as the Lee County Sheriff's Office color guard presenting the flag. The program will be directed by Rabbi Solomon Agin and hosted by Pastor Dan Betzer.


9/11 Memorial Service (Golden Gate)
9:30 a.m. Sunday at the Golden Gate Government Complex, 4715 Golden Gate Parkway, Naples. Sponsored by the Golden Gate Civic Association, Golden Gate High School, Golden Gate Middle School, Golden Gate VFW Post 7721, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, Legacy Options Cremation & Funeral Services and Greater Naples Fire & Rescue. 239-353-1687.


9/11 Memorial Service (Naples)
10 a.m. Sunday at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 500 Park Shore Drive, Naples. A special gathering of Naples and Collier County first responders. Guest speakers, worship and prayer, with a special reception to follow. Special invite to families and children to meet firefighters and police officers and see their vehicles. All are encouraged to RSVP to St. John’s Episcopal Church by calling Ann at 239-261-2355.


9/11 Memorial Service (Fort Myers/Estero)
10:30 a.m. Sunday at Gulf Coast Church at Three Oaks Middle School, 15800 Three Oaks Parkway, Fort Myers. A luncheon will follow the service. All are welcome.


9/11 Memorial Service (Naples)
Noon to 1 p.m. Sunday at Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park, 1515 Golden Gate Parkway, Naples. A remembrance service sponsored by the Gulfcoast Retired Firefighters Association will honor those who perished on Sept. 11, 2001.


Tribute to Our First Responders and inaugural Naples Nites Lions Club Chili Cookoff
All day Sunday at Golden Gate Community Park, 3300 Santa Barbara Blvd., Naples. This festival is to pay tribute to the first responders in Collier County. There will be all kinds of activities for all ages throughout the day, with the cookoff to be one of the highlights. Ten teams will be accepted for the chili event, with trophies awarded for first, second and third places. Notables from the county will serve as judges. The rules are: 1.) Arrive at the park between 8-9 a.m. 2.) All food prep must be done at your stand; no prep cooking. 3.) You will have until 1 p.m. to present your finished chili to the judges table. Entry fee is $25, all of which will go toward a scholarship fund for a graduating first responder's child. Checks should be made payable to the event's sponsor, The Naples Nites Lions Club. Information: Skip Haeger, president, 239-777-1085.


Naples 9/11 Memorial Stair Run
9 a.m. stair climb Sunday at the Greater Naples YMCA, 5450 YMCA Road, Naples. Opening ceremony begins at 8 a.m., vendors and food open at 10 a.m. The run will consist of 17 laps on the main campus. It will start with a run by going up the west staircase (by the spin room), across the rooftop and back down the east staircase. Suggested $10 donation benefiting the Freedom Memorial Foundation of Naples. Register online at http://tiny.cc/ymca911 or in person.