Washington's
9-11 Walk

Jennifer Wilfong initiated a memorial walk in 2002 for the victims of the September 11, 2001 tragedy. She felt despondent over the anniversary and wanted to do something to help the community remember. In anticipation of that first and subsequent walks, flyers were left on neighbors' doorsteps in her Hillcrest Drive neighborhood. Between 100 and 300 people would show up, with money collected going to Washington's fire and rescue departments. It is known that the second walk in 2003 had 215 participants and raised over $1600.

When Wilfong was ready to pass the torch, the WCHS cheerleaders took over. They rallied fellow students and the general public, which spurred an unexpected but appreciated growth, necessitating a move of the walk to Washington Park.  Donations from the event continued to be passed to our police and fire departments to honor all first responders.

In 2020, with COVID-19 ravaging the country, the walk went on hold.  A group of volunteers led by Dennis Hermann placed U.S. flags around the city as a tribute to 9/11 in its stead.

At some point, it was decided that this would be of a 20-year duration, and after the 2021 September 11 memorial service, it quietly faded away.   

We can always look back at the 9-11 walk when the community took time to look back and remember a time of tragedy while simultaneously pulling together to support their own.