This week we remember those lost in the Oklahoma City bombings 11 years ago. So many of the Oklahoma families and survivors rushed to our side to provide support on our personal healing journey. Their strength and offer of assistance has been a true inspiration. Our thoughts and prayers are with them this week and we look forward to their attendance at our September 10th and 11th events.

We want to thank all of you who sent well wishes for the holidays and hope you and your family enjoyed the beautiful weather. I want to share with you a poem we received from Ondina Bennett, the mother of 25 year old Bryan Bennett, who worked at Cantor Fitzgerald. Ondina sent me this poem that she translated from Spanish. Although the message was sent on the occasion of a Christian holy day, the spirit, wisdom, and intention of this reflection -- one line amended -- is applicable to all faiths. Click here for the poem.

We encourage each of you to forward any poems or thoughts that may have been comforting to you. Our goal is to include these reflections on our website and in upcoming newsletters. If you'd like, include your name and connection to 9/11, and email your submission to reflections@voicesofsept11.org. We look forward to hearing from you.

Warm Regards,

Mary Fetchet

Initial response has been strong, and Voices of September 11th continues to invite unmarried "significant others" of 9/11 victims – such as those who were living together, domestic partners, or engaged – to participate in a weekly teleconference support group beginning Monday, April 24th from 11:00-12:00 pm EST. The group is open to males and females. The group will be facilitated by Judy Stotz, LPC. All VOICES teleconference support groups are offered free of charge, but advance registration is required. Interested individuals should call VOICES at (866) 505-3911 or (203) 966-3911 for more information.

We've received an overwhelming response, and only have a few interview slots left for interviews with StoryCorps at the VOICES office (Click for more information). This is a wonderful opportunity for 9/11 families to record memories of your loved ones and your own experiences. The two spots still available are: Thursday, April 27th at 7:30 pm and Saturday, April 29th at 5:30 pm.

Interviews take approximately one hour. If you are interested in giving an interview but these times do not fit in your schedule, please call VOICES Family Liaison Debbie Westfal to put your name on a waiting list or discuss alternate arrangements. The VOICES office is located at 93 Cherry Street,
New Canaan, CT.

When: Thursday, May 18th
Where: Saphire Manor, Decatur Ave. in Sharon, Massachusetts
Contact: email or visit the website

Join the Friends of Michael C. Rothberg at a memorial dinner and auction to benefit the Michael C. Rothberg Memorial Scholarship. Events include a silent auction and keynote speech from Norfolk County, MA District Attorney William R. Keating.

Please click here to send us information on your memorial or foundation event. The information will be posted on the VOICES website and included in upcoming e-Newsletters.

A multicolored glass dome embedded with crystal stars, each inscribed with the name of one of the 57 residents from the Rockaways in Queens who perished at the World Trade Center, was unveiled last week. The dome - 12 feet in diameter and two feet high - completes the last monument in Tribute Park, a memorial to Ground Zero victims located at Beach 116th Street and Beach Channel Drive on Jamaica Bay in Rockaway Park. The dome is pictured at left, with colors shining in the sunlight.

The dome is constructed of 48,000 pieces of hand-cut glass in indigo, blue, red, green and yellow that cast a rainbow on the white pillars of the pavilion. It was created by Patrick Clarke, a stained glass artist from Far Rockaway.

According to Clark, "This will remind us that our loved ones who died are still in our midst. We in Rockaway have not forgotten," as quoted in a NY Newsday Article.

Opened last year, The Tribute Park is a public space with an unobstructed view of the Manhattan skyline. The landscaped park, created with funds raised in the community, includes a granite stone inscribed with the names of the more than 300 firefighters - including 24 from the Rockaways - who died at Ground Zero as well as other memorial benches and mosaics. At right, a young visitor reflects at the Firefighter's memorial.

At the dome's unveiling, each of the 57 names were read and ashes from Ground Zero were sprinkled onto the soil. The dedication also featured musical performances and a Native American blessing. "They did a nice job," said Sean Heeran, a NYC Firefighter and brother of WTC victim Charlie Heeran, 23. "It took them a while to get it done, but it really paid off. I think everybody's really happy with it," according to the NY Daily News.

Remains bring hope, frustration for 9/11 families -- The discovery of hundreds of bits of human remains, mingled in the gravel on the roof of a building that stood in the shadow of the twin towers, could mean that more of the families who lost loved ones finally have something to bury. But it is also prompting them to ask why the remains, atop a 41-story building badly damaged by the World Trade Center's collapse, were not found sooner (USA TODAY)

More Bone Fragments Found at Deutsche Bank Building -- The tally of human bone fragments found atop the badly damaged Deutsche Bank building across from Ground Zero during the last week has risen to 456, the city's medical examiner's office said Monday (Newsday)

LMDC Explanation of Recovery Procedures at Ground Zero -- We would like to provide you with a full and accurate description of the protocols all workers involved in any aspect of the rooftop examination of the Deutsche Bank building at 130 Liberty Street, must follow in the event of the discovery of potential human remains (LMDC)

When: Monday, April 24, 3:30 p.m.
Location: Judge Hellerstein's Courtroom, US Courthouse, 500 Pearl St. NYC
Info: A show of support is vital. Please make every effort to attend. We hope to begin with a prayer since we have always contended that this is a moral issue. We will meet outside the courthouse at giving us time for a very short prayer and time to go through security at the entrance. Please remember your photo ID. If you have questions, please email us.

The Center for the Study of Trauma and Resilience at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University is conducting Phase II of the 9/11 Grief Survey among people who participated in Phase I. The survey is aimed at understanding all possible psychological responses to traumatic loss. In order to understand the full scope of the responses to 9/11 experience and to develop treatments to help individuals who suffer from traumatic grief, it is helpful to have as many individuals to participate as possible.

Those who have received an invitation to participate and have not done so already are requested to log onto the study website in order to complete Phase II of the study. If you have questions regarding the study please address them to the Principal Investigator Dr. Yuval Neria from Columbia University at ny126@columbia.edu. For help with your password or PIN code you may contact Scott Noonan at scott@smartwebs.com

"United 93," Heroes of 9/11 -- Jerry Bingham lost his son on 9/11 but he's ready to relive that day - at least in a movie theater (Ocala, FL Star-Banner)

Victim's Relatives say 9/11 film not profiteering -- A film about the hijacked plane that crashed in Pennsylvania has raised questions about whether Americans are ready for Hollywood's take on the September 11 attacks, but some relatives of those who died support "United 93" (Reuters)

Victim's sister keeps vigil at Ground Zero -- Rosaleen Tallon questions safety and design of 9/11 memorial (Los Angeles Times)

Companies Weigh In on Financing for Trade Center Memorial -- With many questions still to be answered about the cost and financing of the ground zero memorial, four prominent companies with executives on the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation board — conspicuously absent until now from the donor rolls — said this week that they intended to contribute (New York Times)

Government has no evidence tying shoe bomber to Moussaoui -- The government conceded Thursday it had no evidence that would-be shoe bomber Richard Reid was to have conducted a terrorist hijacking with Zacarias Moussaoui, as Moussaoui has claimed (Associated Press)