Released July 9, 2008
NEW YORK –- It may be America's largest barn raising. Working in partnership with Kiowa County EMA, 4-H clubs, K-State Extension, SCKTRO and South Central Kansas Community Foundation, The New York Says Thank You Foundation will coordinate more than 150 volunteers from New York City and from around the United States to help rebuild the 14,000 square-foot Main Pavilion of Greensburg's 4-H county fairground.
The Pavilion was the focal point of the fairground. The Pavilion is one of the structures that truly sits at the "heart" of this very special Kansas community and raising this landmark structure will help to uniquely raise the spirits of an entire town as well.
Hundreds of local volunteers will work shoulder-to-shoulder with New York City firefighters. The New York Says Thank You Foundation is all about celebrating the humanity New Yorkers experienced on 9/12 when so many people from small towns and big cities all across this country converged on New York City to help in time of need. This is the New Yorkers special way of giving some of that love back.
Joining the FDNY firefighter group in Greensburg will be Ground Zero construction workers, 9/11 family members, New York City school children, and scores of other New Yorkers directly impacted by September 11. The New York group will be joined by disaster survivors from every community the foundation has assisted on previous anniversaries of 9/11 who will be volunteering as their way to "Pay It Forward." This special group of volunteers will include San Diego County wildfire survivors, Hurricane Katrina survivors from Slidell, Louisiana and Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and tornado survivors from Utica, Illinois, Evansville and DeGonia Springs, Indiana and Groesbeck, Texas.
Need immediate help to make this 9/11 Anniversary rebuilding project a success
The foundation needs more than $250,000 worth of donated building supplies for this rebuilding effort. Construction companies and building suppliers interesting in donating materials for this special effort may view a complete materials list and related engineering drawings at http://www.newyorksaysthankyou.org/GreensburgKansas.html
In addition to donated building materials, The New York Says Thank You Foundation needs to raise $50,000 in cash donations to sponsor their largest volunteer group ever which is expected to be at least 150, and possibly 200 people strong. This year, sponsorship is $1,000 per FDNY firefighter/ NYSTY volunteer and any amount you donate will help. To support this 9/11 Anniversary 2008 rebuilding effort, please send your tax-deductible charitable contribution to: The New York Says Thank You Foundation, c/o Jeff Parness, 275 West 96 Street #9F, NY, NY 10025. (EIN# 20-1554830)
From one day of terror, 10 years of kindness.
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