- November 19, 2024
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On the 93-degree afternoon of Sept. 9, eight employees of the Longboat Key Public Works Department drove up and down Gulf of Mexico Drive in golf carts.
They weren’t going for a joy ride or checking up on parks and utilities. They were placing 2,977 flags in the ground in honor of the 2,977 people who lost their lives during the 9/11 attacks.
This simple act has been Longboat Key’s way of commemorating the attacks since 2002. Only one year has gone without flags, and it was because of weather. The idea, credited to Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce President Gail Loefgren, was to create a solemn, yet powerful way to remember those who lost their lives, a press release from the chamber said. On the morning of 9/11 people will wake up and drive past the flags, but on Sept. 12 the flags will be gone. GMD is approximately 10 miles long, so in order to line the entire span, the flags are placed about 20 to 30 feet apart.