Exploring a unifying tradition of remembrance that has grown more present within our community over the past years.
For DLX, supporting the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb is more than a sponsorship; it is a commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with those who serve. Each year, our employees join first responders, service members, and community members from across Oregon to climb together. For some, the steps are heavy with personal memory. For others, they are taken in quiet solidarity. But all carry the same spirit: honoring courage through action.
This tradition began with a simple act of remembrance that grew into a movement. On September 11, 2003, in the hills of an Afghan province, Lieutenant Charles Cogburn stepped onto a small concrete stairwell and began to climb. Body armor on his chest and a helmet heavy on his head, he felt the weight of his gear with every step. With each step, he carried the memory of his fallen colleagues he had lost two years earlier. Fifty-five times he climbed those narrow stairs, equalling 110 stories, the same distance firefighters in New York had once raced upward in the hope of saving lives. Alone, far from home, Cogburn turned that simple building into a symbol of remembrance.
THE FIRST STEPS OF A LASTING TRADITION
The following year, back in Albuquerque, his act became something larger. At 8:46 a.m.—the exact time Flight 11 crashed into the tower —a group of firefighters entered the Bank of Albuquerque Building. Twenty-two stories high, they climbed it five times, step after step, until they too had risen to 110 floors.
By 2005, the movement had spread further. In downtown Denver, five firefighters strapped on their gear and shouldered the weight of memory. Together, they climbed 110 flights in honor of the 343 who had fallen four years earlier. It was more than an act of endurance; it was a vow that sacrifice would not be forgotten.
CONNECTED THROUGH REMEMBRANCE
In the years that followed, the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb has continued to gain recognition year after year. For some, the climb is about honoring a fallen colleague. For others, it is about carrying the name of one of the 343 FDNY firefighters who never made it home. For many, it is simply a way of saying: we remember.
The Stair Climb is not about reliving the tragedy, but about honoring the courage and resilience that continue to inspire us all.
CLIMBING TOGETHER IN UNITY
At Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, first responders, military members, and community participants gathered to climb the equivalent of 110 stories, the height of the World Trade Center towers. Before the climb began, each participant received a badge with the name and photograph of a fallen firefighter or service member, carrying their memory the entire way. The atmosphere was shaped by the dedication of volunteers, the voices of guest speakers, the sound of pipes and drums, and the solemn presence of the honor guard. Together, these elements made the day more than a test of endurance and turned it into a living tribute.
The beauty of this shared tribute lies in its ability to bring people together. For the individual, the climb is humbling. For the community, it is unifying. It bridges the gap between those who lived through that day and those who only know it through history, turning remembrance into a shared responsibility.The Stair Climb reminds us that courage lives on through community, and that remembering is something we do as a community.
A LIVING TRIBUTE ACROSS GENERATIONS
For the youngest climbers, many of whom were not yet born in 2001, the Stair Climb is a living history lesson. It brings remembrance to life, which demonstrates how courage is carried in the steps of those who came before. In this way, the climb ensures that memory is not just preserved but passed forward.
One of the most powerful moments came when participants stepped forward to ring the bell for the 78th floor, marking the place where so many lives were lost. The sound moved through the stadium as a reminder that remembrance is not bound by time. Each year the tradition continues, honoring sacrifice, recognizing courage, and affirming that we will never forget.
At DLX, we believe resilience, courage, and service are not only values to honor, but values to live by. Through the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, we are reminded that the steps we take together matter—that they carry the weight of history, the strength of community, and the promise of a future built on unity.
