Nevertheless, that did not stop the girls from escorting military members and emergency responders twice their height around the field seven times — one for each year that has passed since the United States was attacked.

Ansted area Girl Scouts in Daisy, Brownie and Junior troops participated in the National Freedom Walk Saturday afternoon. According to the U.S. Defense Department’s “America Supports You” Web site, the walk is a nationwide program that began after Defense employees wanted to honor Pentagon attack victims and their families. Employees then organized a walk from the Pentagon to the National Mall.

Saturday’s walk in Ansted honored Sept. 11 victims, members of the military and those working in all emergency services, according to Deanna Gill, leader of all three Girl Scout groups.

Gill said the event took place after her 9-year-old daughter Fairan wanted to do it. Three of their family members serve in the Air and Army National Guards. Gill’s 25-year-old cousin, Staff Sgt. Pete Campbell of the 2/19th Special Forces Army National Guard unit based in Kenova, will deploy to Afghanistan next Friday. Campbell is a Hico resident who attended the event.

Such events let children know police officers, firefighters, emergency medical service workers and soldiers are their friends, Gill said.