Sarah Irby ~ Copy Editor
The third annual Lynchburg 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb will be held on Sunday, Sept. 11 to honor the memory of the 343 firefighters from the New York Fire Department who fell during the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in Sept. 2001.
The event will be held at the Bank of the James in downtown Lynchburg. The climb lasts until all participants have made the same trek that the FDNY firefighters made that day – 110 stories – which is achieved by climbing the 20-story bank five and a half times.
Sophomore Logan Wagner said that he would “absolutely” be interested in the event, and he thinks “it’s a nice way to show respect and commemorate the sacrifices made in a unique way.”
The climb is a cooperation effort between The Fire Foundation, Inc. of Lynchburg, the Central Virginia Firefighters Association and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. The event is a fundraiser, and all profits go to support organizations that serve the men and women of the fire service, as well as survivors of such tragedies.
Although many of the participants are First Responders, anyone is welcome to join. If you are interested in participating in the climb, you can register online in advance or in person the day of the event. The fee is $25 and includes a t-shirt. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 11, and the opening ceremony and climb will begin at 9 a.m. and last until approximately 1 p.m.