South Bay business leaders will be among those marking the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on Wednesday.
On that day in 2001, 441 first responders were among the 2,977 who perished in New York, near Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania as a result of attacks using hijacked airliners.
To honor the bravery and sacrifice of firefighters and police officers, the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce and Seven Mile Casino have teamed up with local businesses to provide free breakfast, lunch and dinner to every fire and police station in Chula Vista, Bonita and Imperial Beach.
Other commemorations include:
- The U.S. Customs and Border Protection San Diego Field Office will briefly halt northbound traffic at the land ports of entry at 5:46 a.m. Other ports of entry will participate, including San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, Tecate, Calexico East and West Ports and Andrade. Normal traffic operations will resume following the brief ceremony.
- County Supervisor Joel Anderson’s 9/11 Memorial Ceremony at the County Administration Center’s east plaza, 1600 Pacific Highway, at 7:30 a.m.
- The University of San Diego’s annual 9/11 Remembrance and Interfaith Prayer for Peace at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice theater, 5555 Marian Way, at 8 a.m.
Spokesman Pedro Anaya told City News Service that the South Bay idea expanded from delivery of food to Chula Vista Fire Station 1 and police headquarters. Last year, a few days before Sept. 11, he wondered, “what if we could feed all the Chula Vista stations?”
He reached out to the chamber and within 48 hours all of Chula Vista’s stations had been “adopted” by local businesses for breakfast and lunch. This year the effort expands to include IB and Bonita. The groups expect to feed 92 fire and 75 Chula Vista Police Department personnel.
Anaya said he is pleased that “the community accepted our challenge.”
Dozens of businesses and organizations are participating in the event, including South Bay stalwarts such as Lolita’s Mexican Food, South County Economic Development Council, Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center and Sammy’s at Seven Mile Casino.
“This gesture is more than just a meal – it’s a heartfelt thank you to those who risk their lives to protect us daily,” Anaya wrote.
Several of the meals will include local elected officials, including lunch at Fire Station 1 with Chula Vista Mayor John McCann and lunch at Fire Station 6 with Assemblyman David Alvarez, D-Chula Vista.
Residents or those with local connections who died in the attacks include Tim Ward, pilot Thomas McGuiness, electrical engineer Robert Penninger, La Jolla High School alumnus Brent Woodall, Deora Bodley of Mira Mesa, Brian Sweeney of Pacific Beach and stock trader Brent Woodall, son of a La Jolla couple.
– City News Service
