South Bay business leaders will recognize the efforts of first responders with a small gesture of free meals Wednesday, 23 years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
On that day in 2001, 441 first responders lost their lives among the thousands who perished in New York, northern Virginia and Pennsylvania.
To honor the bravery and sacrifice of firefighters and police officers, the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce, Seven Mile Casino and spokesman Pedro Anaya 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.
"About six years ago I was watching coverage on the news and just wanted to do something to say thank you, being moved by the stories," Anaya told City News Service. "So that year we picked one station and delivered food. We kept that up for a few years delivering food to (Chula Vista) Fire Station 1 and police HQ. Then last year a few days before I had another idea, what if we could feed all the Chula Vista stations?"
He reached out to the city's Chamber of Commerce and within 48 hours had all of Chula Vista's stations "adopted" by local businesses for breakfast and lunch. This year will feature the expansion to dinner. The groups expect to feed 92 fire and 75 Chula Vista Police Department personnel.
"I am fortunate that my client Seven Mile puts up with my crazy ideas and that the community accepted our challenge," Anaya said.
Dozens of businesses and organizations are participating in the event, including South Bay institutions such as Lolita's Mexican Food, South County EDC, 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 feature 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.
Other services commemorating the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks include:
— San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson will host a 9/11 Memorial Ceremony at the County Administration Center's east plaza, 1600 Pacific Highway, at 7:30 a.m. The event is described as a "heartfelt tribute to those who perished, to the resilience of the survivors, and the heroism of the first responders and all who came together in the face of adversity," according to a statement from Anderson's office.
— The University of San Diego will host its 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.
— The U.S. Customs and Border Protection San Diego Field Office will briefly halt northbound traffic operations at the land ports of entry to commemorate the anniversary of the attacks at 5:46 a.m. The following ports of entry will participate; San Ysidro Port of Entry, Otay Mesa Port of Entry, Tecate Port of Entry, Calexico East and West Ports of Entry, and Andrade Port of Entry. Normal traffic operations will resume immediately following the brief ceremony.
