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9/11 MEMORIAL FUND TOPS $500,000
Fundraising
Committee takes major step toward its $1 million goal
With
less than three months under their belt, members of the county’s
9/11 Memorial Fundraising Committee have already raised $530,176
to help pay for The Rising, Westchester County’s September 11th
Memorial being constructed at Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla,
committee chairman James Houlihan today announced.
The Rising honors the 111 residents of Westchester County who were
killed on September 11, 2001. The base of the memorial, called the
Circle of Remembrance, bears the names of those who died and
inscriptions about them provided by their families. It was
dedicated this past September 11 with a poignant and inspirational
ceremony attended by the families and friends of the 9/11 victims
along with nearly 1,000 people from all over the county.
“The
outpouring of support from individuals, non-profit organizations
and members of our corporate and business communities has been
gratifying,” Houlihan said. “In the less than three months
since our committee was formed, we’ve received more than 230
donations totaling $530,176. These donations plus the thousands of
dollars pledged in in-kind services, brings us one step closer to
meeting our goal of $1 million.”
The
Louis R. Cappelli Foundation, Houlihan Parnes/iCap Realty
Advisors, Columbia Home Loans and Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. are
among the many corporations and organizations that have made major
donations to the memorial.
Houlihan
said that the Friends of Westchester County Parks, the non-profit
organization that is accepting the memorial donations, contributed
$100,000 of the proceeds from its Gala fundraising event held last
May towards the project. The
county Board of Legislators has funded $150,000 in bonds to
support the project. Another $50,000 is coming from a state grant
obtained by former Assemblywoman Naomi Matusow.
The
cost of the project is approximately $700,000. The additional
funds raised by the committee will be used to create an endowment
for ongoing maintenance, signage at the site, special lighting and
additional landscaping.
Houlihan
praised his counterparts on the fundraising committee.
He said, “All the members of the 9/11 Fundraising
Committee are hardworking and compassionate people who have taken
a personal interest in this project. They have written thousands
of letters, hosted breakfasts and made presentations to numerous
groups to help spread the word about the Memorial.”
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