09/11/2026
Cherokee County to Hold 9/11 Memorial Service Honoring 25th Anniversary
Cherokee County first responders, local officials, and community members will gather Friday, September 11, 2026, for a special memorial observance marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
The observance will begin with a procession of emergency response vehicles through Centre, followed by a memorial service honoring the nearly 3,000 lives lost on September 11, 2001, and the extraordinary courage and sacrifice demonstrated by first responders and civilians that day.
Emergency apparatus will stage at Cherokee Plaza beginning at 7:30 a.m., with a procession departing at approximately 8:15 a.m. The procession will travel through Centre before arriving at the Cherokee County Courthouse.
The ceremony will begin at 8:46 a.m., corresponding with the time the American Airlines Flight struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center 25 years ago.
David Glenn, President of the Cherokee County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments, will welcome those in attendance. The Cherokee County Fire Association Honor Guard and Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard will present the colors, followed by the National Anthem performed by Centre resident Tony O’Neal.
Centre Fire Chief Robert Pace will lead the Pledge of Allegiance. A moment of silence and opening prayer will follow, led by Rev. Jay Penton of Slackland Baptist Church.
Remarks will be delivered by Cherokee County Probate Judge and Commission Chairman Tim Burgess and Cherokee County EMA Director Shawn Rogers. A special guest speaker will also address those gathered.
The ceremony will conclude with “The Last Alarm,” presented by Chief Rich Lindsey of the McCord’s Fire Department, in remembrance of firefighters and other first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice.
The public is encouraged to attend and stand alongside Cherokee County’s first responders as the community remembers those who were lost and honors the firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel, dispatchers, military members, and countless others whose courage and service continue to define the legacy of September 11.
