Franklin Woodmen of the World Lodge 18, at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 11, will hold a ceremony at Barrett’s Landing to honor local firefighters, police and rescue workers.

The ceremony will be held in conjunction with the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, which left 2,996 people dead, including the al-Qaida terrorists who hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners.

The hijackers crashed two planes into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing everyone on board and many working in the buildings. Both buildings collapsed within two hours.

The hijackers crashed a third airliner into the Pentagon in Arlington, outside Washington, D.C. The fourth plane crashed into a field near Shanksville in rural Pennsylvania after some of its passengers and flight crew attempted to retake control of the plane.

Franklin Woodmen of the World, a fraternal organization with 400 members, has held ceremonies annually since 2002, said organization president Bill Witt.

The ceremony, called “In Honor and Remembrance — Woodmen of the World Salutes America’s Heroes,” will recognize local heroes.

“The police officers, firefighters, members of the armed forces and others who help to ensure our safety each and every day,” Witt said in a news release.

Franklin Fire Chief Vince Holt commended the group.

“I think it is a great thing they do,” Holt said. “Most police and firefighters serve for the love of their jobs. Sometimes they do a lot for very little recognition. I think it’s great when someone takes the effort to recognize them. They go to work every day knowing they could put their life on the line to carry out their duty.”

Carl Cornell, area manager for Woodmen of the World, will be the speaker for the ceremony. The Woodmen will present a flagpole for Barrett’s Landing and a flag to the Downtown Franklin Association as part of the event.

Suffolk News-Herald Staff Writer Tracy Agnew reported that as part of WalMart’s corporate Fighting Hunger Together program, each store chooses a local charity attempting to eliminate community hunger.

Roseland Worrell, executive director of Suffolk Meals on Wheels, is thrilled with WalMart’s decision.

The WalMart began by presenting a check for $750 for the program and providing more than 30 volunteers to help with meals.

Meals on Wheels delivers two meals each weekday to anyone who is unable to prepare food on their own.

• Chief Walter “Red Hawk” Brown of the Cheroenhaka (Nottoway) Indian Tribe of Southampton County recently gave a presentation to the Northern Virginia Chapter of Archeological Society of Virginia. Dressed in full regalia, Brown gave the history of the people and spoke about their struggle to retain their identity.

• In my column from last week, I recognized Boykins Girl Scout Indiyah Stephenson for being this year’s top cookie seller for the Franklin/Southampton County Service Unit.

A member of Troop 5073, Indiyah sold 1,164 boxes of cookies, helping her troop toward a total of 6,492 boxes in sales.

Her leader, Kisha Watford, e-mailed us a photo of Indiyah, which could not be reproduced for the newspaper. I let Kisha know, and after the column ran in The Tidewater News, she provided me with another photo.

It appears in today’s column. Congratulations, Indiyah! I was an assistant Brownie leader with two scouts at home and know the daunting task of delivering just 200 boxes of cookies; they rode around in the back of my 1985 4-Runner for weeks. You are to be commended.

GWEN ALBERS is managing editor of The Tidewater News. Her e-mail address is gwen.albers@tidewaternews.com.