NEW CANAAN, Conn. (September 16, 2013 - NYC Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly will receive the Building Bridges Award at the Voices of September 11th (VOICES) 6th Annual Always Remember Gala on October 16, 2013. The award will be presented following the keynote address of Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. At this year's event, VOICES will launch a broad initiative to help other families and communities impacted by other tragedies.
The evening begins at 6 p.m. with a cocktail reception and silent auction, followed by Secretary Clinton's keynote remarks, dinner, the Building Bridges Award and a special musical performance. Singer/songwriter Mary Fahl will perform a song she wrote to recognize the sacrifices of the responders, "Dawning of the Day." The event will be held at Guastavino's in New York City.
VOICES Founding Director Mary Fetchet said, "Commissioner Kelly is a leader in the fight against terrorism. Following the terrorist attacks on 9/11 we are all aware that New York City is under constant threat. His steadfast leadership and determination in protecting our families living and working in New York City is exemplary. The results speak for themselves."
Raymond W. Kelly was appointed Police Commissioner of the City of New York in January, 2002 by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, making Commissioner Kelly the first person to hold the post for a second, separate tenure. He also served as Police Commissioner under Mayor David N. Dinkins from 1992-1994.
In 2002, Commissioner Kelly created the first counterterrorism bureau of any municipal police department in the country. He also established a new global intelligence program and stationed New York City detectives in eleven foreign cities. Despite dedicating extensive resources to preventing another terrorist attack, the NYPD has driven crime down by 35% from 2001 levels. Commissioner Kelly also established a Real Time Crime Center, a state-of-the-art facility that uses data mining to search millions of computer records and put investigative leads into the hands of detectives in the field.
In a recent interview with Piers Morgan on CNN, Commissioner Kelly talked about the city's response on 9/11 and its preparedness to thwart future attacks, saying, "The spirit is strong. New Yorkers pride themselves on being tough, resilient people."
The Building Bridges Award, initiated in 2004, recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the 9/11 community and our nation. Past recipients have included New York Giant George Martin, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Secretary Janet Napolitano, former Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
VOICES Board members and Gala Chairs Bonnie & Deb McEneaney have planned a special evening that will raise important funds that support Voices of September 11th's ongoing work to provide long-term services for 9/11 families, survivors and responders. The event will also support the organization's efforts to help families and communities heal after other tragedies, by sharing best practices in preparing for, responding to and recovering from acts of mass violence or natural disasters.
Voices of September 11th is grateful to BAE Systems for its support as a Leadership Sponsor. Sponsorship opportunities, table reservations and individual tickets are available. For more information, or to register for the Always Remember Gala, visit the Voices of September 11th website at
www.voicesofseptember11.org or contact Frank Fetchet at 203-966-3911.
| WHAT | Voices of September 11th (VOICES) 6th Annual "Always Remember Gala" to benefit VOICES 9/11 Living Memorial Project, services for the 9/11 families, responders and survivors, and to assist families and communities impacted by other tragedies. |
| WHO: | Keynote Speaker, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton; Building Bridges award to Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly; Performance by singer/songwriter, Mary Fahl. |
| WHEN: | Wednesday, October 16, 2013 6:00 PM |
| WHERE: | Guastavino's, 409 East 59th Street, New York City |
Visit
www.voicesofseptember11.org for more information.
Press welcome to attend, but space is limited and registration is required in advance.
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About Voices of September 11th Voices of September 11th (VOICES) is nationally recognized for its innovative approach to providing a wide range of support services that promote resiliency for thousands of 9/11 families, first responders and survivors. In 2006, VOICES launched the 9/11 Living Memorial Project to chronicle the nearly 3,000 lives lost and document the stories of survivors. The Living Memorial, an extensive digital collection of over 70,000 photographs and personal keepsakes, will be a core component of the exhibits at the 9/11 Museum in New York City. A strong advocate for national preparedness, Voices of September 11th promotes reforms to make the country safer.
Recent acts of mass violence and natural disasters have underscored the need for communities to be better prepared. In the Spring of 2014, Voices of September 11th is launching a Resource Kit and a comprehensive program to assist communities in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from incidents of mass violence or natural disasters. The recommendations are based on scholarly research and lessons learned from interviews conducted with those who responded to the attacks on September 11th, the Oklahoma City bombing, and the shootings at Virginia Tech, Northern Illinois University and Tucson, Arizona.
Looking ahead, VOICES is committed to helping families and communities heal after tragedies. By assisting organizations in establishing a framework for public/private partnerships, VOICES will share lessons learned to promote resiliency in the lives of those impacted by other acts of mass violence or natural disasters.
About The Building Bridges AwardBeginning in 2004, Voices of September 11th has recognized individuals who have made significant contributions to the 9/11 community and our nation through the Building Bridges awards. The plaque includes a painting created by 13 year-old Bethany Roddy of Tacoma, Washington. Above the bridge is a heart with this inscription, "Every day we are given stones. But what do we build? Is it a bridge or a wall?"
