The Armando Borjas Jr. Scholarship, along with the city of Apopka and the Apopka Fire and Police Departments, will be hosting the second annual Together as One Festival and the third annual 9-11 Memorial 5k in downtown Apopka this Saturday, September 23.
All donations and proceeds from this event will benefit the Armando Borjas Jr. memorial scholarship fund.
This year’s course starts on Fifth Street, a thriving part of downtown Apopka’s Community Redevelopment Area. This scenic course offers a mix of suburban, city, and park views, with moderate hills and a pedestrian bridge overpass.
The 5k opening ceremony will start at 7:15 a.m. at Apopka City Hall 120 E. Main St., Apopka. The 5k race is scheduled for 8 a.m.
The Together as One Festival will be at 40 E. Fifth St., Apopka, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tre Jones, Sean Holcomb and Chris Rodriguez will give musical performances.
Armando Borjas Jr. spent 14 years fighting fires and saving lives with the Apopka Fire Department and seven years active duty with the U.S. Marine Corp. In 2011 Armando was diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer, which he battled for two years until his death at age 39.
In an effort to keep Armando’s memory alive and carry on his legacy of public service, the Armando Borjas Jr. Scholarship was established in 2015.
Through the years, this foundation has help raised awareness for fire department-related cancer, PTSD, and mental health programs, assisted many local organizations with further helping those in need within the Apopka community and creating a scholarship that helps send local youth to fire and EMT school.
The foundation’s mission is to provide financial support to first-responders and aspiring first-responders for professional education while concurrently engaging in local community awareness activities and support to families of fallen and injured first-responders.
The Apopka Chief and The Planter are weekly community newspapers, independently owned and family operated, that have served the greater Apopka area in Central Florida since 1923 and 1965 respectively.
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