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Dear ,
As winter is rolling in, we hope you are keeping warm this season! The Tribute WTC Visitor Center and the September 11th Families' Association wish you a wonderful holiday season.
The Tribute Family
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The 9/11 Memorial and Tribute Center
Announce Partnership
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On November 23rd, The National September 11th Memorial & Museum and the Tribute WTC Visitor Center announced a new partnership to support programming for visitors to the World Trade Center site in lower Manhattan. The collaboration between the two organizations will also enhance the visitor experience of the Memorial. Tribute WTC Visitor Center guides will provide person-to-person tours at the Memorial, a program started by the September 11th Families' Association in 2005. The Memorial tours, which began Nov. 14, will be provided by people directly impacted by 9/11.
The Tribute WTC Visitor Center, opened in 2006 by its umbrella organization, the September 11th Families' Association, seeks to promote its motto, "Person to Person History" as a means of linking visitors who want to understand and appreciate these historic events with the 9/11 community. Before opening the center, the Association started to give tours of the area surrounding the WTC site led by members of the 9/11 community-survivors of the attacks, victims' family members, first responders and civilian volunteers, and lower Manhattan residents.
"The opening of the 9/11 Memorial has brought thousands of visitors from around the world to visit the site and honor the victims," said Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Chairman of the 9/11 Memorial. "This new partnership will allow us to preserve the memories of the victims and ensure that all who visit the Memorial and Museum are educated and informed about that unforgettable day."
"At the Tribute WTC Visitor Center, we want people to leave having learned about the events of 9/11, but also being motivated to make a change for the future," said Lee Ielpi, President of the September 11th Families' Association and co-founder of the Tribute WTC Visitor Center. "This collaboration is another opportunity for us to educate the community and the visitors to the Memorial about the atrocities of 9/11 and how visitors can share the story of 9/11 to educate friends and family."
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Lighting Up the City
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Photo courtesy of Joseph Russo
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As the top of One World Trade is reaching over 90 floors, the top of the building can be seen for miles around. The trades on the job have made it their mission to spread some holiday cheer. Earlier this year, Joe Russo an electrician who initiated the idea of coloring the lights in One WTC for the holidays shared how the tradition came about last year with Meri Lobel, Curator at the Tribute Center.
"I'm in the temporary light crew. Our job is to light up each floor as the floors are being built .... so the fellas could see and so they have somewhere to plug in their tools.
Last December and I had to stay late one night and I was outside having a break and thinking of Christmas. I figured out I could color the lights to make the building look like a giant Christmas tree, or a holiday tree....
I went to an arts and crafts store and picked up cellophane in different colors.... I brought it to work and after work stayed a few hours. I covered the bulbs on about 3 or 4 floors and the next morning everybody was amazed at the look of it..... Everybody loved it, they volunteered to help.... The whole job is involved now, a lot of volunteers....
I wanted to bring some cheer to the building and to the neighborhood.... Now it's like a beacon, a light house.... You can see it from the airports, from the bridges.
We have a spectacular building that we're building and we figured out how to make it a holiday centerpiece for the city."
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Docents Gather for the Holidays
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Pictured above at annual holiday party, Angel Branco, daughter of Cindy and Brian Branco who are docents of Tribute Center. Angel raised money to support the volunteer program.
The Tribute Center volunteer program gathered for the annual holiday party at Sequoia's Restaurant at South Street Seaport on Tuesday, December 6th. A much anticipated evening brings our guides together, meeting old friends and making new ones. Each year at the event, we recognize the volunteers for their dedication to the walking tour program.
The following docents were awarded, among many others, for their significant contribution in sharing their story and teaching others by walking tours of the World Trade Center site.
300 & 350 Tours:
Gerry Bocacz
250 Tours:
Ann Van Hine
Bob Nussburger
Paul McFadden
Rita Weiner
Bridget Damiano (posthumously)
200 Tours:
Donna Kaz
John Henderson
Joe Arcieri
Maxime LaBoy
Pauline Boneventura
The list of awards continues and we thank all of you!
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The September 11th Widows and
Victims Families' Association, Inc., a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit organization,
supports victims of terrorism and their families through education,
communication and peer support.
The Tribute WTC Visitor
Center, a program of the
Association, connects and educates visitors with personal experiences of
terrorism. Programs, exhibitions, and tours lead by volunteers who experienced
the effects of terrorism first hand convey personal and varied perspectives and
inspirational acts of generosity. Programs inspire understanding and compassion
among cultures.
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Ways you can help
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Donate now to keep our programs growing strong. Encourage your friends and family to visit the
Join us and become a member of the Tribute WTC Visitor Center,
Keep in Touch Share your pictures and thoughts with us and our online community! 
Visit co-founder Lee Ielpi's blog
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Donate Now
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Donate now to support the Tribute WTC Visitor Center and educational programming
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9/11 Memorial
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Click here for more information
on how to access the
9/11 Memorial plaza.
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| Tribute and
Gray Line
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| The Tribute WTC Visitor Center has been included in a new Gray Line New York Sightseeing package: "FREESTYLE NEW YORK" double decker bus tour.
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