Kyle Schwab The Oklahoman
Dignitaries with the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum on Monday visited the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York’s Times Square in recognition of the upcoming 20th anniversary of the bombing.
Susan Winchester, chairman of the trustees for the memorial, rang the opening bell. She was accompanied by numerous memorial officials.
Dignitaries of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum visited the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square in recognition of the upcoming 20th anniversary of the bombing. Susan Winchester, chairman of the trustees for the memorial, rang the opening bell Monday in New York accompanied by numerous memorial officials. Photo provided
“The stories of those lost in 1995 continue to live in our hearts forever,” Winchester said at a Nasdaq podium. “Along with those stories are thousands of enduring stories of remarkable generosity of giving until there was absolutely no more to give.
“On that April day, cars became ambulances, strangers became neighbors, people literally donated the shoes off their feet because that’s who we are as Oklahomans,” she said.
To continue this “Oklahoma Standard” the memorial is orchestrating a campaign of the same name where individuals, groups or businesses can pledge to perform acts of service, honor and kindness during the month of April.
Executive director Kari Watkins and trustees Mike Turpen, Traci Cook, Kim Neese and Justice Steven Taylor were in attendance for the recognition. Also attending were Oklahoma City Police Chief Bill Citty and survivor Polly Nichols, co-chairs of the 20th anniversary, and Oklahoma City Deputy Fire Chief Kellie Sawyers.
“We were honored to be asked to join Nasdaq today to open the market as we work to bring attention to this story to a new generation,” Watkins said. “It was powerful to observe a moment of silence and to share OKC’s story with such large audience.”
Memorial’s history
Since the memorial opened in 2000 and the museum in 2001, the site has been dedicated to honoring all who were affected by the attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building at 9:02 a.m. April 19, 1995. The bombing resulted in the deaths of 168 people.
The place of remembrance recently underwent a $10 million renovation. New technology, information and artifacts not available during the memorial and museum’s creation were among the advancements.
When talking of the bombing, Winchester often speaks of “my sister, Dr. Peggy Clark.” Clark was among those killed. She was working as a veterinary medical officer with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the federal building at the time of the bombing.
