President Bush Calls for Americans to Honor Those Lost on 9/11 by Engaging in Community Service and Good Deeds

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President Bush Calls for Americans to Honor Those Lost on 9/11 by Engaging in Community Service and Good Deeds

 

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/09-06-2007/0004657789

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Presidential Proclamation Provides Key Support to myGoodDeed, the Nonprofit Initiative to Establish 9/11 as a National Day of Service

 

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time since the 2001 terrorist attacks, President George Bush''s Patriot Day 2007 Proclamation, released this week, is calling upon Americans to observe the anniversary of the upcoming 9/11 terrorist attacks not only as a day of personal reflection and remembrance, but also as a day of voluntary and charitable service.

 

In his annual 9/11 Proclamation, the President stated that, "The spirit of our people is the source of America''s strength, and six years ago, Americans came to the aid of neighbors in need. On Patriot Day, we pray for those who died and for their families. We volunteer to help others and demonstrate the continuing compassion of our citizens. On this solemn occasion, we rededicate ourselves to laying the foundation of peace with confidence in our mission and our free way of life."

 

"The President''s message of volunteerism, delivered for the first time in a 9/11 Proclamation, is truly important," said David Paine, president and co-founder of myGoodDeed (http://www.myGoodDeed.org'>http://www.myGoodDeed.org), the influential nonprofit that has worked successfully behind the scenes since 2003 to win political support for transforming 9/11 into an annually recognized national day of service, charity and good deeds. "The President''s call to service helps provide the nation with a much needed answer to the question of how 9/11 should be remembered for generations to come.

 

"Since 2001, the President has made service a central part of his policy, and we are delighted that he is formally acknowledging through this Proclamation the historic role that 9/11 played in inspiring literally millions of people to dedicate far more time each year to helping others, and in reshaping the nation''s attitudes toward volunteerism," Paine said.

 

Interest From All 50 States and More Than 100 Countries

 

myGoodDeed is the national initiative encouraging individuals and organizations to perform good deeds and other forms of charitable service as a long-term way to honor the victims, survivors, volunteers and rescue and recovery workers of 9/11. myGoodDeed was founded by Paine and his close friend Jay S. Winuk, following the death of Jay''s brother, attorney and volunteer firefighter Glenn J. Winuk, who died in the line of duty in the September 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center. Last year the myGoodDeed web site attracted more than 2.2 million hits, and more than 150,000 individuals and businesses posted good deeds in observance of 9/11. This year, organizers expect to far surpass those figures, having already received pledges for more than 50,000 good deeds from all 50 U.S. states and more than 100 different countries and international territories, including China, Russia, Kenya, Iran, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and the Philippines.

 

"For all the 9/11 survivors and family members, the President''s 9/11 message of service, as well as remembrance, is a giant step toward creating a permanent, living legacy of compassionate service in the names of the victims, families, volunteers and countless heroes of 9/11, a powerful and unprecedented national tribute that should continue to grow as the years go by," said Monica Iken, a 9/11 Board member of the National 9/11 Memorial and president and founder of September''s Mission.

 

Issuance of the new 9/11 Presidential Proclamation follows an equally successful effort by myGoodDeed to win support for its mission in the U.S. Congress. In 2004, the myGoodDeed organization worked closely with Congressional leaders to secure unanimous passage of H. Con. Res. 473, introduced by U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Representative Peter King (R-Long Island, NY), urging the designation of 9/11 as a national day of service, charity and compassion. This year, letters of support urging Congressional colleagues to pledge to perform good deeds on 9/11 were circulated last week in both houses of Congress. The Senate letter was signed by Senator Schumer as well as Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), both original co-sponsors of H. Con. Res. 473, along with U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Arlen Specter (R-PA). The House letter was signed by U.S. Representatives King, Michael Ferguson (R- NJ), Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento) and Joe Crowley (D-Queens).

 

"Observing 9/11 as a national day of volunteerism, charity and good deeds is a wonderful way to pay tribute to the victims, survivors, rescue and recovery workers and volunteers of 9/11," said Alice Hoagland, myGoodDeed board member and mother of Mark Bingham, one of the passengers on United Flight #93 who bravely stormed the cockpit in an attempt to wrestle control from the terrorists. "I''m delighted to learn of the President''s support for this heartfelt vision."

 

"We greatly appreciate and thank the President for his leadership in urging Americans to honor through volunteerism the victims, heroes and all those who rose in service in the aftermath of the attacks," said Winuk, vice president and co-founder of myGoodDeed. "We are also grateful to the thousands of 9/11 family members, government officials, corporate supporters, non-profits and other leaders who have worked tirelessly by our side in helping to bring this observance to life over the past six years. To honor those lost by helping people in need is an exceptional, meaningful form of tribute."

 

myGoodDeed.org, a 501c3 nonprofit, is supported by more than 20 9/11 family member and support organizations. The organization receives financial and in-kind support from AOL, Yahoo, American Express Company, Ambac, Keefe Bruyette & Woods and KPMG. For more information, visit http://www.myGoodDeed.org, or send an email to info@myGoodDeed.org

 

SOURCE http://www.myGoodDeed.org