VOICES Resiliency Symposium and Information Forum

 

VOICES hosted our Annual Resiliency Symposium and Information Forum on September 9 and 10 in New York City. The two-day event included presentations, panel discussion and workshops by leading experts who shared their expertise along with updates on available resources. This year we were honored to have a delegation from Canada in attendance, along with representatives from organizations working in the United States and abroad.

 

 

As in years past, representatives from the World Trade Center Health Program provided updates on treatment for medical and mental health conditions. Legal experts and victims' advocates discussed victim compensation programs and progress made on the September 11th litigation. Clinicians with decades of professional experience shared their expertise about mental health treatment, while providing tools to build strength and resiliency.

 

The annual events provided an opportunity for the 9/11 community - families, responders and survivors to share personal testimonies, participate in peer-to-peer roundtable discussions and reconnect with each other in advance of the anniversary. The sharing of information between those impacted, service providers and researchers also ensures lessons learned are incorporated into a victim-centered approach when responding to other acts of mass violence.

 

A very special thank you to our sponsors - Motley Rice; Turken, Heath and McCauley; Kreindler & Kreindler; the FealGood Foundation and Barasch & McGarry whose generosity made our annual events possible. Thanks to the dozens of individuals who contributed to the program, including our presenters and volunteers from Goldman Sachs and National Debt Relief.

 

 

Click here to view photographs from the event.

September 11: Cantor Fitzgerald Charity Day

 

 

On September 11, VOICES was fortunate to participate in Cantor Fitzgerald Charity Day. This year we were thrilled to have New York Yankees beloved pitcher, Ron Guidry attend as VOICES ambassador! Ron was a "big hit" on the trading floor and enthusiastically worked with the traders to close several deals.

 

Charity Day started in commemoration of the 658 Cantor Fitzgerald and 64 Eurobrokers employees lost in the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. Cantor donates 100% of their revenues on 9/11 to the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund, and as a result hundreds of charities from around the world benefit.

 

Our sincere thanks to Edie Lutnick and to all at Cantor Fitzgerald for making this day possible!

September 13 Visit with Families and Survivors of Mother Emanuel Shooting

 

 

What an honor it was for Mary Fetchet to meet with the Mother Emanuel families and survivors! On September 13 she participated in the Empowering Our Community with Hope and Healing Conference in Charleston, South Carolina. Her presentation focused on Honoring the Legacy of Your Loved Ones, sharing personal reflections on ways their families can commemorate the lives of those they so tragically lost.

 

While in Charleston she had an opportunity to visit the Mother Emanuel Church and participate in a prayer service with community members. Mary reflected, "Following the 9/11 anniversary it was a very meaningful and spiritual experience to spend time with the families, survivors and their prayerful community who were so personally touched by this tragedy."

 

VOICES recently attended a screening of the very powerful documentary film Emanuel, that poignantly tells the personal stories of those who were tragically impacted by the Mother Emanuel shooting. At the screening we had an opportunity to meet "Miss Polly" Sheppard who survived the shooting and Rose Timmons who lost her father that day. The film Emanuel is being released with limited engagements in New York City the week of October 11 and in Los Angeles the week of October 18.

September 14: Annual 9/11 Naming Ceremony at Responders Remembered Park

 

 

On September 14, the 9/11 community gathered at the Wall of Remembrance at the Responders Remembered Park in Nesconset, New York for an annual event sponsored by the FealGood Foundation. As in years past, the names were read of the responders who have died of 9/11 related illnesses. This year more than 200 names were added to the wall representing the ever-growing list of lives lost post-9/11.

 

Our thanks to John Feal and the FealGood Foundation for including VOICES in the event to honor the memory of those brave men and women who have tragically lost their lives due to 9/11 related illnesses.

VOICES Annual Gala at New York Athletic Club

 

 

Oh what a night!

 

VOICES 2019 Always Remember Gala was hosted on September 24 at the New York Athletic Club. This years' honorees were recognized for their unwavering efforts to support those impacted by 9/11 and other tragedies, and their leadership and ongoing dedication to protecting the United States and the world. ESPN Host and longtime VOICES supporter Mike Greenberg served as emcee.

 

A special presentation of VOICES 2019 Legacy Award was made in honor of the late Kurt Wolfgruber, who served as VOICES Board Chairman for over a decade. At the gala, the establishment of the Kurt Wolfgruber Center of Resiliency was announced to carry on Kurt's legacy through VOICES work to provide long-term support for victims' families, responders and survivors, and assist communities impacted by other tragedies, in the United States and abroad.

 

John Miller, Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence and Counterterrorism for the New York Police Department, was recognized with VOICES 2019 Leadership Award for his extraordinary leadership and unwavering commitment to public service that is protecting citizens around the world. Deputy Commissioner Miller's keynote remarks included insights into his longstanding career in law enforcement and intelligence, as well as his personal experience as a journalist interviewing Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan in 1998.

 

The 2019 Building Bridges Award was presented to John Feal, 9/11 responder and founder of the FealGood Foundation for his tireless advocacy efforts. John was joined on stage by a dozen first responders who made endless trips to Washington to lobby on behalf of their fellow responders and survivors who are suffering from life-threatening conditions due to their exposure to toxins in the aftermath of 9/11. Their efforts led to legislation that ensures they have the medical and mental health treatment and compensation they need and deserve.

 

VOICES Summer Interns Produce Short Film

 

 

VOICES high school and college interns recently completed their summer internship program, working alongside our staff to learn about 9/11 through their firsthand experience. The internship program culminated in the production of a film, Post 9/11 Paths to Resilience that was presented at the New Canaan High School 9/11 Assembly on October 2. The film highlighted interviews the interns conducted over the summer to capture the personal stories of resilience demonstrated by 9/11 family members, survivors and responders.

 

 

The New Canaan High School program included a panel discussion with Dr Leigh Wilson, WTCHP Medical Director at the Northwell Clinic; Brian Lavigne, VOICES Board Member who survived the attacks on 9/11 and Firefighter Paul Wilson, New Canaan Fire Department. The event was coordinated by Robert Stevenson, the Chairman of the History Department.

 

Our thanks to VOICES 2019 interns - Sally Clayton, Abigail Deery, Rachel Fox and Page Freyre, Zachary Jones, Tiffany Kiogora, Robert Wallace, Davis Whitely and to all who shared their personal stories for the film.

 

Click here to watch the video.

 

For more information about the VOICES Internship Program is available here.

From All of Us at VOICES- THANK YOU!

 

 

A special thank you to everyone who generously donated to VOICES during the month of September! From birthday fundraisers, bike-a-thons, bowl-a-thons, fun runs, to making an annual contributions in memory of loved ones - your donations are very much appreciated and help us continue to make a difference in the lives of thousands of individuals and families we are privileged to assist.

 

Your support is more important than ever. On behalf of all of us at VOICES, thank you for your generosity!

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