CINCINNATI — Kroger Co. here said Tuesday that the company would hold a moment of silence at all of its 2,449 supermarkets in the U.S on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
"To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, we will invite our customers and associates to join together in a moment of silent reflection in all of our supermarkets," said Dave Dillon, chairman and chief executive officer of Kroger. "Many of our stores will also say 'thank you' to our everyday heroes— the men and women who keep our families, communities and stores safe — through a variety of activities this September."
On Sunday, Sept. 11, Kroger stores located in the Eastern time zone will pause for a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., the time when American Airlines Flight 11 struck the World Trade Center's north tower 10 years ago. Because of the time difference, Kroger's family of stores in Central, Mountain and Western time zones will pause for a moment of quiet remembrance at a locally-designated time on Sunday morning.
Other activities planned for Kroger stores include:
• Preparing and delivering lunches, food trays, sheet cakes or gift baskets to local first responders, such as fire departments, police departments and paramedics.
• Inviting customers to write personal messages on oversized cards or posters displayed in stores thanking military and emergency services personnel for their service.
• Encouraging associate donations to the USO.
• Inviting customers to thank their everyday heroes on Kroger and banner Facebook pages.
• Hosting commemorative events and "Honoring Our Heroes" celebrations for emergency services personnel and members of the active military.
