LAKE CITY, Fla. – On Friday, September 11, Florida Gateway College and the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners will hold a Remembrance Ceremony commemorating the 25th anniversary of the events of September 11, 2001.
The community is invited to join us as we reflect on what happened that day, remember those who were lost, and appreciate the unity found in the aftermath.
September 11 – 25th Anniversary Remembrance Ceremony
presented by FGC and Columbia County Board of Commissioners
Friday, September 11, 2026
9 a.m.
Levy Performing Arts Center
Florida Gateway College
The one-hour ceremony will feature remarks from college, county, regional, and national leaders recalling where they were, how they and the nation were impacted, and what it means to mark a quarter century since that day.
The event’s keynote speaker will be Craig Fugate, former Administrator of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Other speakers will include Dr. Lawrence Barrett, FGC President; Jay Swisher, Columbia County Clerk of Courts; Chuck Brannan, Florida state representative and FGC Trustee; Ralph Rowand, Air Traffic Controller on September 11, 2001; and Lyla Folsom, FGC dual enrollment student and CHS Student Government President.
Also featured will be musical tributes including the “Star-Spangled Banner,” the Pledge of Allegiance led by the Belmont Academy Seventh Grade Civics Class, and presentation of colors by Honor Guards of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Forest Service, and the Lake City Police Department.
The ceremony is open to the entire community with events scheduled to conclude at 10 a.m.