December 22, 2008
The holidays are always a time of reflection. One of the season’s greatest pleasures is taking time to thank the wonderful individuals who have made important contributions to VOICES over the past year. We especially appreciate our dedicated volunteers who have generously donated their time and our Board of Directors and Advisory Board who have successfully guided the organization.

December 12, 2008
This week an announcement was made that two significant pieces of history – the construction ramp at Ground Zero and the Survivors’ Stairway will be moved, demonstrating that progress is being made in the building of the National September 11 Memorial Museum.

December 05, 2008
This week’s deadly attacks in Mumbai are a horrific reminder that the threat of terrorism remains high around the world. The television coverage brought flashbacks of what we lived through in those terrible hours and days after 9/11. Immediately our thoughts and prayers were with the family and friends that were in search of their loved ones.

November 25, 2008
On Monday, November 17th we celebrated what would have been our son Brad’s 32nd birthday. Brad was 24 years old when he died on 9/11. Unlike the public nature of the September 11th anniversary, Brad’s birthday is a quiet time of reflection for our family, a time when we remember the many ways he touched our lives.

November 14, 2008
As many of you know, both on September 11th and during Hurricane Katrina, the first responders’ inability to communicate led to confusion during the evacuations and ultimately to hundreds of deaths on September 11th. These difficulties had been well documented after the 1993 World Trade Center and Oklahoma City bombings, and led to the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation to free up analog broadcast spectrum for emergency operations.

November 07, 2008
Like most of you, I stayed up late on Tuesday to watch the election results and witness President-elect Barack Obama deliver his historic victory speech. I realized his words echoed the personal journey of many of us who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001. Following the tragedy, it was difficult to imagine a road to recovery, let alone envision hope for the future.

November 03, 2008
Last week I attended The National Homeland Defense & Security Symposium VI in Colorado Springs, CO, the nation’s leading public forum for dialogue on homeland defense and security. This year’s theme was “Securing our Homelands through International Collaboration; Neighbors Helping Neighbors.”

October 24, 2008
As I mentioned last week, October is National Depression Screening month.  As we get further into the fall season, the approach of winter and the holiday season can often spark feelings of depression. As a mental health professional, I want to stress the importance of recognizing symptoms of depression and seeking help as soon as possible.

October 17, 2008
This week we are posting a selection of slideshows from our annual Forum and Commemorative Luncheon on our website. I would like to thank all of the photographers who donated their time and their talents to VOICES on September 10th and 11th. Looking at the photos, I am reminded of the strong bonds that connect the 9/11 community, our need to gather in remembrance and the importance of resiliency.

October 3, 2008
It was wonderful to see so many of you at our September 10th Information Forum and September 11th Commemorative Luncheon. This year’s events continued our annual tradition of providing an opportunity for 9/11 family members, rescue workers and those impacted by 9/11 to gather and receive pertinent information.