May, 1, 2009

Dear Families and Friends,

Warm Regards,

VOICES Programs and events

9/11 Living Memorial Workshop Schedule

VOICES is commemorating each and every life impacted by the September 11th terrorist attacks—including those who were lost, those who survived, and those who came to the rescue—through the 9/11 Living Memorial. We are hoping all those affected will participate. We hold workshops throughout the tri-state area; scheduled workshops are listed below. It is also possible to arrange a workshop in your neighborhood. To learn more, or to register for a workshop, please contact Michelle Doherty at (203) 966-3911 or mdoherty@voicesofsept11.org. You can also visit www.911livingmemorial.org. 

New Brunswick, New Jersey
Date: Thursday, April 30th
Time: 11:00am to 5:00pm by Appointment
Location: New Brunswick Development Corporation, 120 Albany Street, Tower 1, 7th Floor, New Brunswick, New Jersey

Teleconference Schedule:

Voices of September 11th offers teleconference groups that are facilitated by our mental health professionals. The teleconference groups provide an opportunity for those impacted by 9/11 to talk with others that share their same experience. Please contact our office at (203) 966-3911 if you are interested in participating.

Tuesday, May 5th : Firefighter Mothers Teleconference Group 10:00am to 11:00am

Tuesday, May 5th : Parents Teleconference Group 3:45pm to 5:00pm

Tuesday, May 5th : Parenting Group 9:00pm to 10:00pm

Community Events

April 24th, 2009

Beverly Eckert to be Honored during Arbor Day Celebration

A Princeton Elm tree will be planted and dedicated in memory of 9/11 activist and VOICES co-founder Beverly Eckert, who died when Flight 3407 crashed in Buffalo, New York on February 12, 2009. The ceremony to honor Eckert’s unselfish contributions to the Stamford community and our nation will take place during an Arbor Day dedication at the Jackie Robinson Park of Fame in Stamford, CT.  It will begin at 11:00 am on Friday, April 24th, 2009. The event is made possible by the Stamford Tree Foundation in partnership with the City of Stamford, Jackie Robinson Park of Fame, Inc., and VOICES of September 11. To learn more, read the press release.

April 30th, 2009

Michael Lynch Memorial Foundation Scholarship Deadline is April 30th, 2009

The Michael Lynch Memorial Foundation will award college scholarships to the children of New York City Firefighters, Victims of September 11, 2001, and victims of other disasters and fires.  Interested applicants should visit its website at www.mlynch.org to obtain an application and review the candidate selection process. A written request for an application may also be obtained by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: The Michael Lynch Memorial Foundation, PO Box 132, Bronx, NY 10465

Scholarship announcements are scheduled for June 30, 2009.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

The 3rd annual “Captain Martin J. Egan, Jr. 5K Memorial Run/Walk”

The 3rd annual “Captain Martin J. Egan, Jr. 5K Memorial Run/Walk” will take place at 10:00 am on May 3, 2009 at the Midland Beach Picnic Area (Father Capodanno Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue, Staten Island, NY). Applications are available at The Staten Island Runner www.sirunning.com. For more information, please call (718) 710-1944. 

In the News

Financial Aid Urged for Responders
In testimony on April 22, 2009, Congressional representatives urged colleagues to reopen the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund to help thousands of responders and others who have developed 9/11-related illnesses since the fund closed in 2005. Read more at the Daily News.

President Signs Legislation Establishing 9/11 as Day of Service
On April 21, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which establishes September 11 as an annually recognized National Day of Service and Remembrance. The bill authorizes the Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees federal national service programs, to make grants and provide other assistance to community nonprofits and other groups that want to organize 9/11 service and remembrance activities. To learn more, read the press release issued by MyGoodDeed.org, an advocacy organization that promoted the legislation.

President Obama Addresses Past CIA Practices
In the wake of revelations regarding harsh interrogation techniques employed by the CIA under the Bush Administration, President Obama visited the agency to reassure its employees that he will not blame them for following the legal advice they were given at the time. Critics are upset by the Obama Administration’s decision to release the information, which it did in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, while others were urging a more thorough investigation into the interrogation practices. Read more at the NY Times and the Washington Post. An analysis of the history of the issue is available at the NY Times.

Report on “Rightwing Extremism” Generates Controversy
Homeland Security’s report entitled "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment" inspired a heated response when it was leaked shortly after April 7 (see the NY Times). Now the Department of Homeland Security has indicated that objections by civil liberties officials were not heeded before the report was distributed, “a breakdown in an internal process.”

Read more at Newsday.

Plans to Rebuild Ground Zero Affected by Recession

Ground Zero developer Larry A. Silverstein is tussling with the land’s owner, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, over how and when the planned office towers will be rebuilt. Negotiations became necessary as both sides grappled with the current economic climate, which has had a major effect on commercial real estate in Lower Manhattan, increasing the vacancy rate considerably. The Port Authority wants to keep the 9/11 Memorial & Museum and other public infrastructure on schedule, but postpone a large portion of the office space. Learn more at the NY Times.

Financial Firms Keep Pledges to 9/11 Museum

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum says that, while its $350 million capital fund-raising goal was achieved a year ago with the help of pledges from firms such as the American International Group (AIG) and Lehman Brothers, who are now struggling if not defunct, the Museum remains financially sound. Of the 81 contributors who pledged $1 million or more, 45 have paid at least half if not all of their pledges. Read more at the NY Times.

Majority Favor Obama Outreach to Muslims

A majority of Americans agree President Obama's desire to "seek a new way forward" with the international Muslim community is an important aim, although many also have negative attitudes about Islam and its effects, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Read more at the Washington Post.

In a related story, the New Yorker analyses Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s chances in his re-election campaign. The story includes a discussion of some Iranians’ beliefs as to the cause of 9/11.

Art Therapy for 9/11 First Responders

An art therapy group has been established to help 9/11 rescue and recovery workers deal with the trauma of their experiences. No artistic knowledge necessary. The sessions will take place on Saturdays from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm at New York University’s Barney Building, 34 Stuyvesant Street (between 2nd and 3rd Avenues), Room 204, New York, N.Y. For more information, please contact Ailish Coughlan, Licensed Creative Art Therapist at 917.519.4592 or ailishcoughlan@yahoo.com.