In honor of Nation Day of Remembrance and Service, volunteers packed care packages to the crew of the USS New York to the joy and surprise of crew members.
On September 9th and 10th, in honor of September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance, 150 volunteers from companies affected by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 came together to create care packages for the crew of the USS New York. Volunteers included special guests New York Mets: Josh Thole, Dillon Gee, and Bobby Parnell; NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly; FDNY Commissioner Sal Cassano; FDNY Chief of Department Edward Kilduff; and Port Authority Superintendent of Police/Director of Public Safety Michael Fedorko. The volunteers assembled personalized, five-pound care packages including sports memorabilia, t-shirts, books, meal bars, instant coffee, vitamins, flashlights, sunscreen, toothpaste, shaving cream, razors and personal notes.
The shirt said: “Welcome to the Neighborhood…The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, USS NEW YORK.”
The sailors received their morale-boosting care packages in late September. One sailor wrote us to say, “I have served in the Navy for over 24 years and never have I received a care package… I have just recently reported on board and I knew it would be a special place when I received my orders to the USS New York but never did I fathom that you and the people of a city I have never visited would treat me as if I were one of their own”.
Welcome to the neighborhood…
The Tribute Center and volunteers were very pleased to do something positive on this anniversary and express gratitude for sacrifices of the men and women serving on the USS New York. A special thank-you to volunteers from Aon; Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft; Keefe, Bruyette & Woods; Sandler O’Neill + Partners; and Deutsche Bank.
Thank you to our generous care package donors including: Port Authority of NY and NJ, New York Mets, New York Jets, FDNY, NYPD, Pelican, Impact, GNC, New York Pass, Tom’s of Maine, WS Badger, Cliff Bars,
PRO Bars, Fairway Market, Kind Bars, National September 11 Memorial Museum, Rentacrate, Rescue Remedy, and Barbasol Shaving Cream.
