Hispanic Heritage Month Kicks off in SWFL

Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15.

It is a month-long celebration that recognizes the contributions Hispanic and Latino Americans have made to the United States.

WE’RE WATCHING AS HURRICANESALLY THREATENS THE NORTHWESTCORNER OF OUR STATE..HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH ISOFFICIALLY UNDERWAYTHE MONTH-LONG CELEBRATIONSTARTS TODAY AND LOCAL LEADERSARE MAKING SURE THEY RECOGNIZETHE HISPANIC POPULATION INSOUTHWEST FLORIDA FOR THEIRCONTRIBUTIONS.FOX 4’S SANDRA RODRIGUEZ INBONITA SPRINGS TONIGHT... WHERETHEY KICKED OFF THE CELEBRATION.(10-17)(26-36)(102-111)*NAT* "congratulations y’all.applause"IT’S THE START OF HISPANICHERITAGE MONTH AND TODAY━ LEECOUNTY FORMALLY MARKED THECELEBRATION"The board of Lee CountyCommissioners proclaimsSeptember 15 through October 1as Hispanic Heritage Month inLee County."EACH YEAR━ HISPANIC HERITAGEMONTH IS CELEBRATED ACROSS THECOUNTRYTODAY━ COMMUNITY LEADERSEXCITED THAT IT IS NOW BEINGRECOGNIZED LOCALLY"We are nearly at 30-percent ofthe population here in LeCounty is Hispanic, and it’sgrowing, so it meant a lot to berecognized.HISPANIC HERITAGE WEEK WAS FIRSTESTABLISHED BY PRESIDENT LYNDONB.

JOHNSON IN 1968 AND LATEREXPANDED TO A MONTH-LONG EVENTHONORING HISPANIC AND LATINOAMERICANS"You, know to point out thedifferent achievements we’ve hadall through the history of thiscountry."THIS YEAR’S THEME -- ’A HISTORYSERVING OUR COUNTRY’ HONORINGTHE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVESERVED IN THE COUNTRY ARMEDFORCES...*NATS* "mariachi band"TODAY ELECTED OFFICIALS ANDCOMMUNITY LEADERS GATHERING INBONITA SPRINGS TO KICKOFF THECELEBRATION"My nearest and dearest friendstruly are in the Hispanic andLatino community in BonitaSprings, I would do anything forthem, they would do anythingme."MAYOR SIMMONS SAYS REACHING OUTTO THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY ISSOMETHING THE CITY DOESYEAR-ROUND━ THROUGH ITSOUTREACH ADVISORY COMMITTEEAND IS HAPPY THE COUNTY HASTAKEN THIS STEP IN PROCLAIMINGHISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH."I love it, arriba, arriblet’s go baby, it’s fabulous."THROUGHOUT HISPANIC HERITAGEMONTH -- FOX 4 WILL BE HONORINGINFLUENTIAL LATINOS IN SOUTHWESTFLORIDA SHARING THEIR STORIESAND THE IMPACT THEY’VE H