VALPARAISO | The First Responders Tribute Garden at Foundation Meadows Park will be the scene of the city's annual Sept. 11 memorial ceremony for the victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C.

The ceremony will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the garden dedicated at the 2007 ceremony. The garden was to be the first of several such tribute gardens along the entrance to the park, 3210 Campbell St., honoring different groups. So far, it is the only one, Valparaiso Parks Director Steve Doniger said.

Doniger said several groups have inquired about the gardens, which must be funded by private donations. It costs about $8,000, and Doniger said the park has room for four others at Foundation Meadows. No groups other than the police, fire and emergency services have succeeded in raising funds for a garden.

"If there are other groups who want to do a tribute garden elsewhere or have other ideas, we will entertain those," Doniger said.

The parks department also will announce a new Going Green with Gratitude program in October for people to make donations to help with the planting of trees in the parks and other green projects, such as rain gardens.

Among the projects the city hopes to promote with the program is its "Trees of Indiana" forest at Foundation Meadows and the reforestation of Forest Park in the playground area. Doniger said about three dozen trees were destroyed in Forest Park by the Aug. 4 and 5 storms, which caused extensive damage throughout the city.

"Since the storm, we've got a lot more room for trees," he said. "We are still cleaning up."

While details of the program will be announced in October, Doniger said several different levels of donations are being set up so people don't have to pay for an entire tree, which can be expensive. A "gratitude tree" will be set up in the parks office and leaves will be embossed with the names of people making donations.

"Instead of giving cookies and candy for the holidays, this is a way for people to be healthier and get a little recognition, and it's a way to enhance our natural areas. You are making a lifetime gift to people this way."