Each year on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Cash Express has taken local first responders cakes and a signed poster to show their appreciation for their service.

This year, Winchester Cash Express manager Patricia Farmer and assistant manager Katlyn Sons began delivering cakes and posters Wednesday morning to the Winchester Police Department. Farmer said they continued making rounds to other local responders, including police, firefighters and EMS, throughout the day.

First responders deserve respect, Gary McNabb, chief executive officer of Cash Express, said in a press release.

He said 9/11 was a time of reflection, and he isn’t sure where the tradition of delivering a dessert to first responders started in the company.

“It started out of someone’s caring and appreciative heart and spread from employee to employee and location to location until stores all over Kentucky and Tennessee were involved,” McNabb said in the release.

As more people and Cash Express locations became involved, the gesture became an annual salute to first responders. McNabb said he encourages others in the community to get involved as well.

“Using the 9/11 anniversary as an opportunity to refresh and rekindle our feelings for first responders is a good thing,” McNabb said in the release.

Farmer said she isn’t sure when Winchester’s location joined the company-wide tradition.

The show of appreciation differs from community to community and location to location. Winchester’s Cash Express has a tradition of delivering cakes and posters that are signed by customers and employees, thanking first responders for their service.

“This is just one way to show our appreciation,” Farmer said.