More than 200 seven-foot American flags are flying at three Clay County locations, planted by the Rotary Club of Orange Park Sunrise to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

The flags went up Sept. 8 and will remain on display through Sept. 18, at the Town of Orange Park on Park Avenue, Orange Park Mall on Wells Road and Spring Park on St. Johns Avenue in Green Cove Springs, according to the club's event page.

Ceremony Marks Exact Moment Towers Were Struck

The centerpiece is a free public ceremony Sept. 11, from 8 a.m. to 8:46 a.m. at the Clay County Board of County Commissioners Administration Building, fourth floor, 477 Houston St. in Green Cove Springs. The ceremony ends at 8:46 a.m., the time the second World Trade Center tower was struck on Sept. 11, 2001.

The club said on its event page that it is partnering with Clay County Government for the county's 25th anniversary commemoration.

After the ceremony, attendees can join a walk to nearby Spring Park, where Clay County firefighters and the Clay County Sheriff's Office will host a vigil and read the names of fallen first responders.

The ceremony location and time were updated from an earlier plan, according to the club's event page.

Event Has Grown Steadily Since 2024

This is the third annual Flags for Heroes event. Lead organizer Jenielle Holderfield and the club drew nearly 300 guests to the 2025 ceremony, which honored 357 heroes and raised $23,555 for 16 local nonprofits and first responder organizations, according to the club's recap. That was up from $15,840 raised in 2024.

The 2025 beneficiaries included the Town of Orange Park's fire and police departments, the Clay County Sheriff's Office, the Clay County Veterans Council, USO Jacksonville and Clay County Habitat for Humanity, according to the club's donation records.

How Residents Can Sponsor a Flag

Residents can honor a hero for $50. The package includes a flag on display, a listing in the ceremony program and website, and a keepsake commemorative coin. Corporate sponsorships start at $250. Heroes and sponsors do not need to live in Orange Park.

Contact Holderfield at [email protected] for details.

The Sept. 11 ceremony is open to the public at no charge. Flags remain on display at all three sites through Sept. 18.