BELLEVIEW, Fla. — For many Belleview residents, Sept. 11 is a distant memory. To others, it is a history lesson told through generations, stories and traditions.
The Belleview Community Center hosted its annual Freedom Walk Friday evening, allowing residents, first responders and families to take part in an evening of remembrance and reflection of the attacks that unfolded 25 years ago. The event featured support from local organizations, including the Belleview Police Department and Marion County Fire Rescue.
The ceremony began with the Belleview JROTC program’s marching of the colors. In the back of the room, tables displayed dozens of American flags next to a poster board detailing the timeline of Sept. 11. A tribute book was also present for attendees to sign.
Before the walk, key speakers joined the stage, including state Rep. Ryan Chamberlin, who highlighted the community’s commitment to keeping residents safe. He included a moment of silence tribute to CeeCee Ross Lyles, a Florida native who was killed when United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in a field in Pennsylvania on Sept. 11.
Robert Vass, Belleview’s community engagement liaison, said the event served as a bridge between generations and educates younger generations who did not experience the events that unfolded.
“I think it’s very important that people learn about the history because it’s what shapes the present,” Vass said.
Vass was living in Connecticut in 2001 and working at a university about 60 miles away from the twin towers in New York City. Two days after the attacks occurred, he went to ground zero to help volunteer. He described the scene as a mixture of sorrow and perseverance.
“A lot of the worst things that you could possibly imagine in the world, but then at the same time, a lot of hope,” Vass said.
While the events were traumatizing, Vass said his ability to share his experience was crucial because it allowed younger generations to learn more about the attacks and the different perspectives that people had.
“It’s important to share the perspective of being a person that was around at the time to help give that to the younger generation today,” Vass said
Belleview Mayor Christine Dobkowski was in Belleview caring for her newborn daughter when the attacks occurred. For her, remembering the attacks also meant remembering the fearless first responders.
Twenty-five years later, Dobkowski is thanking first responders by helping orchestrate the Freedom Walk in her community.
“I think for me, it’s just that we never forget, that we remember that this happened,” said Dobkowski.
Dobkowski is helping recognize first responders who continue to serve their communities. First responders and military officials wore their service hats as a tribute to those who died.
After the ceremony, attendees participated in the Freedom Walk around Lake Lillian holding small American flags. Vass highlights the event’s ability to add light to firsthand accounts that history books cannot encapsulate.
“It was a totally different experience than what you read in a book today,” Vass said. “You felt the emotion where now you’re just reading.”
While Belleview may be far away from New York City, the town still allows residents to stay connected to one another through hard times. For this event in particular, the Freedom Walk allowed residents to remember the nearly three thousand individuals who died as well as those who fought to save lives.
Vass said the event will continue to unite generations for years to come.
“It’s important for me personally to be able to be part of something that allows the current generation to feel a little bit of what we felt,” Vass said.