9-11 Tribute

Hundreds Attend 9-11 Tribute Dedication

2008-09-15T08:14:00.000-07:00

Over 500 people attended the 9-11 Tribute Memorial dedication on Saturday, September 13, at the Redondo Beach Civic Center. The event began with the Redondo Beach Police Department's Honor Guard, followed by the procession of Lt. Gerard Moriarty (FDNY, Retired), Bobby Senn (FDNY, Retired), Sgt. John Flynn (NYPD) and the Los Angeles Police Department's Pipe and Drum Band. Mallory Gantner, daughter of Leadership Redondo Class of 2007 member Georgette Gantner, sang the National Anthem while members of the U.S. Marine Corps raised a U.S. flag, which flew over recovery efforts at Ground Zero, on the flag pole above the Redondo Beach Police Department. The Invocation was given by Chaplain George Negrete from the Los Angeles City Fire Department.

Redondo Beach Mayor Mike Gin welcomed everyone to the event, and touched on the importance and significance of what the Leadership Redondo Class of 2007 had accomplished with building such a beautiful memorial. State Assemblymember Ted Lieu spoke after Mayor Gin, and was followed by Master of Ceremonies Glen Walker, a news anchor from CBS 2/KCAL 9. Walker told the story of how the City of Redondo Beach received the 300 lb artifact from the FDNY. He talked about the brotherhood that had formed between the members of the Redondo Beach Police and Fire Departments and the FDNY.

The Leadership Redondo Class of 2007, was represented by Project Leader Captain Tom Krafick (RBPD) and Landscape Architect Deborah Richie-Bray. Captain Krafick gave a brief narrative of the class, while Richie-Bray discussed in detail the design of the 9-11 Tribute.

Airline personnel were represented by Darren Shiroma, the Local Council President for the United Airlines Association of Flight Attendants. Shiroma discussed the bravery the flight attendants and pilots displayed on September 11, 2001, and thanked the Leadership Redondo Class for including airline personnel in the dedication.

Brad Burlingame, brother of Captain Charles "Chic" Burlingame, pilot of Amercian Airlines flight #77, which crashed into the Pentagon, gave a touching recount of the love his brother had for flying. Holding back tears, he also told the crowd his brother was one of the first to lose their life on September 11 after fighting with the hijackers for over four minutes.

Bobby Senn (FDNY, Retired), keynote speaker for the dedication, shared with the crowd his recollection of the day in his life when he died and was given a second chance. Senn recalled details of the day, from kissing his wife goodbye on his way to work, to calling her to say goodbye after he had escaped from being trapped in the first tower collapse.

The event concluded with a 21-Gun Salute, Taps performed by two members of the U.S. Marine Corps, Amazing Grace performed by the Los Angeles Police Department's Pipe and Drum Band, and a helicopter flyover.

Members of the Leadership Redondo Class of 2007 are so proud of what they have accomplished to help remember those tragic events of September 11, 2001. Thank you to everyone who helped make this monument possible.

Dedication Event Set for Saturday, September 13

2008-08-28T09:54:00.001-07:00

Saturday, September 13
10 a.m.
Redondo Beach Civic Center
415 Diamond
Redondo Beach, CA 90277

Months and months of long and hard work will finally come to fruition when the 9-11 Tribute is dedicated on Saturday, September 13, at 10 a.m. at the Redondo Beach Civic Center.

Nearly 500 people are expected to attend this momentous event, which will include Glen Walker, anchorman for CBS and K-CAL News, as the Master of Ceremonies. Representatives from the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), New York Police Department (NYPD), the New York Police Department Port Authority, airline representatives, and family members of those who were lost on that tragic day in 2001 will also be in attendance.

The program will include two honor guards, the Los Angeles Police Department Pipe and Drum Band, a bagpiper who will perform Taps, and special guest speaker Bobby Senn (FDNY-retired), who will share his heroic story of being trapped in the collapse of both Towers and how he managed to escape.

This event is open to the entire community, so please bring family and friends to help us remember the civilians, airline employees, Pentagon workers and police and firefighters who lost their lives on 9-11. We encourage you to arrive early as the program will begin promptly at 10 a.m.

Construction Begins on 9-11 Tribute

2008-07-02T15:05:00.000-07:00

Community members, including Redondo Beach Mayor Mike Gin, the Redondo Beach City Council, and representatives from the Redondo Beach Fire Department, joined the Leadership Redondo Class of 2007 at the Redondo Beach Civic Center on Tuesday, July 1, at the groundbreaking ceremony for the 9-11 Tribute.

9-11 Tribute designer and Leadership Redondo class member Deborah Richie-Bray spoke at the event giving a brief description of the design. "The memorial will feature a bronze armillary sphere, with the artifact from the World Trade Center as part of the base. Below the piece of steel beam, which was a gift to the City of Redondo Beach from the Fire Department of New York, are five black granite panels. The black granite represents the black shiny windows of the twin World Trade Center Towers. There will be five sides to the granite base, representing the Pentagon. The ground beneath the 9-11 Tribute will be made of multicolored limestone representing the natural materials of our land. It will be designed in the shape of a multi-pointed sunburst. The plants that will surround the monument will be tall red grasses, representing the burning fields of Pennsylvania. The armillary sphere will be engraved with the times of events of 9-11. There will be bronze plaques on each of the five sides of the monument describing the events of September 11, 2001, highlighting the acts of bravery and resilience of our fellow Americans. Also engraved will be 'Time continues on. The sun rises and sets each day. We will never forget September 11, 2001.'"

The completed 9-11 Tribute will be unveiled on September 11, 2008. The Class is still in need of donations to meet their fundraising goal. To make a donation, please download a sponsorship form from http://www.9-11tribute.org/.

9-11 Tribute Donations Reach Close to $37,000

2008-04-15T17:32:00.001-07:00

The Leadership Redondo Class of 2007 is closing in on its fundraising goal with donations totaling close to $37,000.

"We are now in the final stretch to reaching our goal of $45,000. The community is really stepping up to help fund this important memorial. Donations are coming in daily from all over the South Bay, not just Redondo Beach. Every little bit helps," stated project leader Tom Krafick.

The 9-11 Tribute is slated to be completed by September 11, 2008, but all fundraising must be completed by the end of May so materials can be ordered and construction can commence. For more information, contact Tom Krafick at 310-798-1885 or by email at LRB.tribute@gmail.com.

Donations Total Over $32,000

2008-03-10T16:19:00.000-07:00

Donations to the 9-11 Tribute have surpassed $32,000 with the latest donations coming from Forest City Commercial Management Inc., the Redondo Beach Marina, King Harbor Marina, and various other donors. The Leadership Redondo Class of 2007 is now less than $13,000 away from their goal of $45,000. "The generosity of our community is amazing," stated class member Jill Brunkhardt. "Surpassing the $30,000 level has brought the light at the end of the tunnel into view."
If you would like to make a donation to the 9-11 Tribute, sponsorship forms are available for download at www.9-11tribute.org.

9-11 Tribute Project Donations Reach Nearly $23,000

2008-01-14T12:18:00.000-08:00

Recent donations from Chevron, Continental Development Corporation, Northrop Grumman, Portofino Hotel, Redondo Beach Marina, and other generous individuals, have pushed contributions for the 9-11 Tribute to $22,935. With just a few months remaining to fundraise, the Leadership Redondo Class of 2007 is still $22,000 short of their $45,000 fundraising goal.

Sponsorship packages are being mailed to businesses and individuals in hopes of narrowing the shortfall in funds. If you would like to receive a sponsorship package, please contact project leader Tom Krafick at 310-798-1885 or by email at LRB.tribute@gmail.com.

Civic Center Selected as Site for 9-11 Tribute

2007-12-05T10:19:00.000-08:00

Redondo Beach City Council approves site and design for 9-11 Tribute

REDONDO BEACH, Calif., December 4, 2007 –The Redondo Beach City Council designated the Redondo Beach Civic Center as the site of the 9-11 Tribute, a memorial to those lost on September 11, 2001. The 9-11 Tribute will be installed in the planter area in front of, and between, the main entrances to the Civic Center Library and the City Council Chambers. This site was selected because of the civic nature of the tribute, the security of the location, and the accessibility for all members of the public.

The City Council also approved the design of the 9-11 Tribute. The theme of the memorial is “We will never forget.” The 9-11 Tribute will incorporate the 300-pound, 25-by-16-inch piece of steel beam from the World Trade Center, which was given to the City of Redondo Beach as a gift from the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) last January. In response to the FDNY’s request that the public have physical contact with the steel beam, the memorial prominently features the artifact atop a pedestal.

Also included in the design is an armillary sundial, a descriptive base with the timeline of the events of September 11, 2001, and engraving on the pedestal honoring the more than 2,800 people who died on 9-11, including civilians, and personnel from the airline industry, the New York Port Authority, the Pentagon, the Fire Department of New York, and the New York Police Department.

The Leadership Redondo Class of 2007, sponsored by the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce, adopted the design and construction of the 9-11 Tribute as their class project after Captain Bob Franck of the Redondo Beach Fire Department made a presentation to the class. He spoke about the artifact and the significance of the bond between the Redondo Beach Fire and Police Departments and the FDNY.

The Leadership Redondo class, which includes public officials, representatives from local business, and private citizens, has formed several committees to bring this project to fruition. For example, design committee chairperson, and local landscape architect, Deborah Richie-Bray, has spent many hours, pro-bono, working with her committee and the entire class to create and refine the design that was approved at Tuesday’s City Council Meeting.

With the City Council’s official approval of the site and design, efforts to fund the 9-11 Tribute will escalate. Don Vangeloff, fundraising committee chairperson, stated, “With the approval of our 9-11 Tribute site and design, we will be ramping up our fundraising efforts. This presents the perfect opportunity for people and businesses to make year-end tax-deductible donations.”

There will be many opportunities to lend support in early 2008, as well. According to Vangeloff, the Leadership Redondo Class of 2007 is currently planning their fundraising activities. As information about fundraising events becomes available, it will be posted on the 9-11Tribute Web site: www.9-11tribute.org.

“The goal is to have the 9-11 Tribute completed by September 2008,” according to Tom Krafick, 9-11 Tribute project leader and Redondo Beach Police Captain. “To meet this goal we will need to have the majority of the funds required for materials and construction secured within the next few months.”

“Support from the entire community is crucial to make this project a success,” said Krafick. “As of today, we have received close to $15,000 in donations. We anticipate the cost of the 9-11 Tribute will be around $45,000, so we need your help!”

“This monument will be a touchstone for those who lost family and friends in the attack, and a connection between the people of the South Bay with those lost on 9-11,” said Krafick. He hopes the community agrees that building a 9-11 Tribute in Redondo Beach is an important endeavor and that this monument will become a notable landmark in Redondo Beach and the South Bay.

More information about the 9-11 Tribute, tax-deductible donations and sponsorship forms, and updates about the events for the memorial, can be found at www.9-11Tribute.org. You may also contact Tom Krafick at LRB.Tribute@gmail.com. Contributions can be made by check payable to City of Redondo Beach, Project 9/11 Fund and mailed c/o Payroll Management Solutions, 5155 W. Rosecrans Ave, Suite # 1065, Hawthorne, CA 90250.

Leadership Redondo, which is sponsored by the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce, is designed to develop effective community leaders by introducing individuals to different segments of the Redondo Beach community and by providing training in leadership skills and styles. As a group each leadership class selects, develops and completes a project that will impact the surrounding community.

Proposed Redondo Beach Memorial Will Keep 9-11 Close

2007-12-05T10:08:00.000-08:00

Group wants to place twin towers piece at Civic Center, where visitors will be able to touch it.

By Kristin S. Agostoni
Daily Breeze
December 4, 2007

They want people to walk up to it, run their hands over it, remember it.

A Redondo Beach leadership group tasked with designing the city's 9-11 monument has suggested the Civic Center as the site for the memorial centered on a steel beam from the twin towers at the World Trade Center.

Tonight, the class sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau will ask the City Council for permission to build the monument almost on its doorstep - in a planter between council chambers and the library on Pacific Coast Highway.

The 300-pound artifact was gifted to the city's police and fire associations earlier this year from the Fire Department of New York. Since then the leadership group has sought to find a location, design and budget for a memorial, with the goal of completing the work by Sept. 11, 2008.

"We wanted to put (the monument) in a place that's very accessible to the public," said Tom Krafick, a city police captain who serves as project leader for Leadership Redondo Class of 2007.

"It's not often that a community has an opportunity to have an artifact like we do."

Krafick said the class of 14 current and future civic leaders studied four locations before recommending the Civic Center spot, which sees a good deal of foot traffic and has adequate space for special events and parking.

The group ranked the Civic Center location above Czuleger Park on Catalina Avenue, a historic area in Dominguez Park and a pedestrian plaza near the International Boardwalk on the pier, according to a staff report.

And Krafick said his classmates considered a handful of ideas before settling on a 7-foot vertical design created by local landscape architect Deborah Richie-Bray, a classmate.

The design, which fits the group's $45,000 budget, features a bronze or stainless steel sphere-shaped sundial positioned above the rectangular steel beam, which would sit on top of a gleaming granite pedestal.

The pedestal, which could also be built of basalt, is supposed to symbolize the twin towers before the 9-11 terrorist attacks, Richie-Bray said.

The day "is something that will be marked in time," she explained, but the sundial is meant to represent a sign of hope.

"Each day the sun rises and each day it sets," Krafick added, "but we will never forget."

A plaque on the front will include a timeline from 8:46 to 10:03 a.m. Sept. 11, 2001, recounting the time the first plane hit the World Trade Center's south tower to the last plane crash in Shanksville, Pa.

The leadership class also recommends that the script on the front of the monument recognize everyone who died or sacrificed their lives on 9-11.

City firefighters said that request came from the Fire Department of New York, which sent the beam to Redondo Beach in January. The department's only other condition was that people be able to walk up to it and touch it.

HOW TO HELP

The Leadership Redondo Class of 2007 has roughly $15,000 but hopes to raise $45,000 to complete the project. Information about the 9-11 tribute, tax-deductible donation and sponsorship forms and updates about the events can be found at www.9-11Tribute.org, or contact Tom Krafick at lrb.tribute@gmail.com.

The Leadership Redondo Class of 2007 has roughly $15,000 but hopes to raise $45,000 to complete the project.

Information about the 9-11 tribute, tax-deductible donation and sponsorship forms and updates about the events can be found at www.9-11Tribute.org, or contact Tom Krafick at lrb.tribute@gmail.com.

Checks can be made payable to the city of Redondo Beach, Project 9-11 Fund, and mailed c/o Payroll Management Solutions, 5155 W. Rosecrans Ave., Suite 1065, Hawthorne, CA 90250.

Design and Location Options To Be Presented to City Council

2007-11-20T11:59:00.000-08:00

The Leadership Redondo Class of 2007 will present their proposed 9-11 Tribute design and location options to the Redondo Beach City Council at their December 4 meeting at the Redondo Beach City Council Chambers.

The 9-11 Tribute design has been created by landscape architect Deborah Richie-Bray, a member of the Leadership Redondo Class of 2007. Richie-Bray has spent countless hours creating a design for the monument that will “pay tribute to the more than 2,800 people who died on 9-11 … including civilians and personnel from the airline industry, New York Port Authority, the Pentagon, the Fire Department of New York, and the New York Police Department.” As promised, the 9-11 Tribute will be constructed in a manner to allow people who visit the memorial to be able to physically touch the 300-lb piece of steel beam the City of Redondo Beach received from the FDNY.

Possible locations for the 9-11 Tribute will also be presented to the City Council on December 4. Class member Mike Witzansky and his location team have dedicated a great deal of time scouting Redondo Beach for the perfect site for the 9-11 Tribute. Many locations were contemplated and various factors were taken into consideration before settling on four possibilities.

To be one of the first to learn what the 9-11 Tribute will look like, and where it will be located, come out and support the Leadership Redondo Class of 2007 on December 4.

9-11 Tribute Project Donations Reach Nearly $12,000

2007-11-20T11:06:00.000-08:00

Contributions to help fund the Leadership Redondo Class of 2007’s 9-11 Tribute project keep coming in, but additional funding is still needed. The cost of building the 9-11 Tribute is estimated to be $35,000 - $45,000. With the latest donation of $2,456.35 from the Leadership Redondo Class of 2006, total donations stand at $11,665.35. Other recent gifts include $625 from the students of Redondo Union High School, and $1252 from Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza.

Corporate and individual sponsorship packages are currently being developed to help raise the additional funds need to construct the 9-11 Tribute. The sponsorship packages will include different levels of support to meet the needs of each donor. To receive a sponsorship package, please contact Tom Krafick at 310-798-1885 or by email at LRB.tribute@gmail.com .

9-11 Tribute Donations Hit $5,000

2007-10-15T09:20:00.000-07:00

Several members of the Leadership Redondo Class of 2007 made personal donations towards the 9-11 Tribute project at their last official class session held on Friday, October 12. The class members' donations, along with donations from other community members, have pushed the total funds raised to over $5,000.

The 9-11 Tribute fundraising subcommittee is currently planning many fundraising activities that will be held over the next several months. Please periodically visit the 9-11 Tribute Web site for updates on activities.

Current 9-11 Tribute Project Donations Total Nearly $3600

2007-10-03T14:58:00.001-07:00

As of today, October 3, total donations made towards the Leadership Redondo 9-11 Tribute project total $3532. This total includes monies collected at the 2007 Redondo Beach State of the City event, the 12th Annual Original Lobster Festival, and various donations made by community members.

Sammy's Woodfired Pizza's Month of Sundaes fundraiser continues until October 10. Half of the proceeds from All Messy Sundaes, Sammy's signature dessert, purchased between September 11 and October 10, will be donated towards the 9-11 Tribute project.

The Leadership Redondo Beach Class of 2007 is looking for additional businesses to hold fundraisers similar to Sammy's to help fund their project. If you are interested in having a fundraiser to help the class and promote your business as the same time, please contact Tom Krafick at 310-798-1885 or by email at LRB.tribute@gmail.com.

Leadership Redondo Beach Class of 2007 to be at the 12th Annual Original Lobster Festival, Sept. 21 - 23

2007-09-14T19:49:00.000-07:00

The Leadership Redondo Beach Class of 2007 will be at the Original Lobster Festival in Redondo Beach, September 21 - 23. They will be distributing information about their 9-11 Tribute project at the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce booth. Renderings of possible designs will be on display, and other information about the project will be available. Donations to help fund the construction of the 9-11 Tribute will be accepted at the booth.

The Lobster Festival will be at the Seaside Lagoon at 200 Portofino Way in Redondo Beach. The hours are 5 - 11 pm on Friday, 12 noon - 11 pm on Saturday, and 12 noon - 9 pm on Sunday.

Fundraising Kick-off held at Sammy's Woodfired Pizza

2007-09-10T16:16:00.000-07:00

TORRANCE, Calif., September 10, 2007 - Members of the Leadership Redondo Class of 2007, Fire Captain Bob Franck, Redondo Beach Mayor Mike Gin, community members, as well as members of the media attended a kick-off fundraising event at Sammy's Woodfired Pizza at Rolling Hills Plaza in Torrance. Lunch was served and all were treated to Sammy's famous Messy Sundaes.

The brief program included Mayor Gin welcoming the group and thanking the Leadership Redondo Class of 2007 for taking on this project for the community. Captain Franck spoke after Mayor Gin and gave the history of how the City of Redondo Beach received the steel beam. He also mentioned that Bob Senn from the Fire Department New York (FDNY) would be coming to Redondo Beach in November. Project Leader Tom Krafick addressed the group after Franck and gave an overview of the 9-11 Tribute Project and thanked Sammy's for their generous assistance with the fundraising efforts of the class.

Sammy's has generously offered to donate 50% of sales of Messy Sundaes purchased with a menu item between September 11 through October 10 at the Rolling Hills Plaza location in Torrance. Sammy's is located at 2575 Pacific Coast Highway in Torrance. The food is amazing and the Messy Sundae is unbelievable! Thank you to Sammy's and Barbara ramsey-Duke for helping with the 9-11 Tribute in Redondo Beach.

Leadership class to hold Sept. 11 memorial fund-raiser

2007-09-09T18:32:00.000-07:00

By Sascha Bush
The Beach Reporter
September 8, 2007

Americans across the United States will somberly commemorate the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack next Tuesday. For many, the passing years haven't been long enough to soften the painful memories of that date; for others, the anniversary affords people the opportunity to recognize and celebrate the lives of those who were lost.

Taking a definitive first step toward developing a meaningful Sept. 11 memorial for Redondo Beach, the Leadership Redondo class of 2007 has partnered with Sammy's Woodfired Pizza in a monthlong fund-raising effort, the proceeds of which will go toward creating the memorial.

Project leader and city Police Capt. Tom Krafick spoke before the City Council at the Sept. 4 meeting to announce the details of the fund-raiser. Starting Tuesday, Sept. 11, through Wednesday, Oct. 10, Sammy's Woodfired Pizza will donate half the price of all “Messy Sundaes” purchased with a meal at its Torrance restaurant. This collaborative effort will hopefully yield a substantial sum that can be added to the few thousand dollars already collected by Leadership Redondo for the development of the city's Sept. 11 monument.

“We will need the support of the entire community to make this project a success,” stated Krafick. While Leadership Redondo is planning for future fund-raising events, both large and small, the monthlong event with Sammy's Woodfired Pizza represents a push in the right direction.

The 300-pound steel artifact recovered from the World Trade Center site had been moved from Fire Station One on South Broadway to City Hall, but it still awaits a permanent home.

The Leadership Redondo class is charged with selecting a site for the memorial that will be accessible to the public to touch, interact with or simply just reflect beside; no location has yet been determined.

“This piece of steel is a touchstone, a connection between the people of Redondo Beach with those lost on 9/11,” stated Krafick. “(The memorial will serve) as a landmark to those who lost friends and family in the attack.

”For more information about the memorial project or the fund-raising event, e-mail Krafick at lrb.tribute@gmail.com.

A Month of Sundaes to Help Build 9/11 Monument in the South Bay

2007-09-09T18:18:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Barbara ramsey-Duke
Lily in the Field Marketing & Promotions
(310) 543-0747 Cell: (310) 251-6830

Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza Fundraiser to Help 2007 Redondo Chamber Leadership Project Raise Funds to Build a 9/11 Memorial

TORRANCE, Calif., September 5, 2007 - Building a local memorial to September 11, 2001 began as a project of the Redondo Beach Fire Department and has been adopted by the Redondo Beach Leadership 2007 graduating class. Their goal now is to raise funds to create a permanent site for the memorial. You can contribute to this cause by taking friends and family to Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza during its Month of Sundaes.

FDNY Chief Aid Robert Senn was in the South Tower with 30 other firefighting personnel when the North Tower collapsed; he is one of 16 firefighters from his group who escaped. Meeting after the tragic event, Senn and Redondo Fire Department’s Bob Franck have forged a strong friendship. The bond between the two agencies has also grown and includes a gift of solid steel to the Redondo Beach Fire Department to serve as a reminder of the many lives and friendships that were altered by the terrifying attack of 9/11.

The memorial, comprised of a 300-pound steel portion of an inner beam from the Twin Towers, will symbolize the precious and precarious nature of life. Its strength and resilience will pay tribute to every person lost, including personnel from NY Port Authority, the Pentagon, FDNY, NYPD, the airline industry and civilians.

To assist with funding the memorial, Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza in Torrance will donate 50% of sales of all Messy Sundaes® purchased with a meal for four weeks. A Month of Sundaes begins Tuesday, September 11th and continues through October 10th at the Sammy’s Rolling Hills Plaza location at 2575 Pacific Coast Highway. Sammy’s signature giant Messy Sundae® is a mountain of ice cream, chocolate, caramel and walnuts topped with whipped cream, normally far more than one mouth can handle.

Additionally, Sammy’s will host the Month of Sundaes kick-off luncheon for the Leadership Team, Firefighters and honored guests. At this event, some of the yearlong plan of action will be introduced and sponsorship possibilities may also be discussed.

Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza, known for its award-winning gourmet pizzas, salads, tapas and Messy Sundae® dessert, opened in 1989 under the innovative direction of Sami Ladeki. Sammy’s is part of the Ladeki Restaurant Group’s portfolio of restaurants that includes Roppongi Restaurant & Sushi Bar in La Jolla and 13 Sammy’s locations throughout Southern California and Las Vegas. Visit http://www.sammyspizza.com/ for more information.

For details about the memorial and the 2007 Redondo Beach Leadership group, visit http://www.9-11tribute.org or you may email questions to lrb.tribute@gmail.com.

Leadership Redondo Class of 2007 Kicks Off Fundraising for 9-11 Tribute

2007-09-05T12:54:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Tom Krafick
LRB.TRIBUTE@GMAIL.COM

Contributions to 9-11 Tribute will help fund the design and construction of a memorial in Redondo Beach honoring those who perished on September 11, 2001.

REDONDO BEACH, Calif., September 4, 2007 – The Leadership Redondo class of 2007 announced today that they have officially begun fundraising for their class project, a 9-11 Tribute, which will honor those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The Tribute will be designed to incorporate the 300-pound, 25-by-16-inch piece of one of the World Trade Center's inner beams, which was given to the City of Redondo Beach as a gift from the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) last January.

“The goal is to have the 9-11 Tribute completed by September of 2008,” according to Project Leader Tom Krafick, who is a Leadership Redondo class member and Redondo Beach Police Captain. To meet this goal, fund raising for the design and construction of the memorial will be a top priority for the leadership class. Krafick spoke to the Redondo Beach City Council on Tuesday evening, asking for monetary and fund raising support from South Bay individuals and businesses.

“We will need the support of the entire community to make this project a success,” said Krafick. “Our entire class is donating their time to develop this memorial so that almost 100 percent of the contributions will go toward the design and construction of the memorial.”

The leadership class is working on a few possibilities for a large fund raising event and hopes the community will come out to support the fundraiser when it is announced. They will host some smaller events throughout the year and welcome contributions from individuals and businesses.

“We encourage members of our community to sponsor fund raising events to help us build a memorial that the South Bay will be proud of,” Krafick said. For example, Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza in Torrance will donate 50 percent of all “Messy Sundaes” sold with a meal between September 11, and October 11, 2007 to the 9-11 Tribute.

Members of the Leadership Redondo class, which includes public officials, representatives from local business, and private citizens, decided to adopt the development of the memorial as their class project after Captain Bob Franck of the Redondo Beach Fire Department (RBFD) made a presentation to the class. He spoke about the artifact and the significance of the bond between the Redondo Beach Fire and Police Departments and the FDNY.

In 2002, FDNY Chief's Aid Robert Senn came to Redondo Beach to share his story of being trapped twice during the collapse of the World Trade Center Towers. He was one of about 16 of the firefighters in their group to escape alive. During that visit Franck and Senn became friends. It was this friendship and the friendship forged between Rich Sigler of the Redondo Beach SWAT team that led to the gift of steel from FDNY.

The Leadership Redondo class is in the early stages of developing the memorial. To some extent the site will govern the design of the memorial, and the site has not yet been determined. RBFD has given the leadership group full responsibility to create a permanent home for the gift from FDNY. They only made two requests. First, they asked that the memorial “pay tribute to the more than 2,800 people who died on 9-11 … including civilians and personnel from the airline industry, New York Port Authority, the Pentagon, the Fire Department of New York, and the New York Police Department.” Second, they requested that people who visit the memorial should be able to physically touch the artifact.

“The tragedy of 9-11 touches each and every one of us to this day,” Krafick stated. “The artifact represents the bond that exists between our community, the people who died, and those who survived the attacks of 9-11. It is an honor for our class to build the 9-11 Tribute.”

More information about the 9-11 Tribute can be found at www.9-11Tribute.org. To make a monetary or in-kind contribution or for more information please contact Tom Krafick by email LRB.Tribute@gmail.com. Contributions can be made by check payable to City of Redondo Beach, Project 9/11 Fund and mailed c/o Payroll Management Solutions, 5155 W. Rosecrans Ave, Suite # 1065, Hawthorne, CA 90250.

Leadership Redondo, which is sponsored by the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce, is designed to develop effective community leaders by introducing individuals to different segments of the Redondo Beach community and by providing training in leadership skills and styles. As a group each leadership class selects, develops and completes a project that will impact the surrounding community.

Project Leader Tom Krafick to speak at Redondo Beach City Council Meeting on September 4

2007-09-03T16:07:00.000-07:00

Project Leader Tom Krafick will officially announce the kick off of the Leadership Redondo Class of 2007 project fund raising efforts. Krafick will make this announcement at a regularly scheduled Redondo Beach City Council meeting to be held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 4, 2007, in the Redondo Beach City Hall Council Chambers. A press release will be issued after the announcement.

Project Status as of August 31, 2007

2007-08-31T13:22:00.000-07:00

We currently are in the initial phase of our project, which includes developing and reviewing preliminary designs, scouting possible locations for the tribute, creating an estimate of expenses, producing PR materials, and discussing possible fundraising activities/events.

Our class has been broken down into subcommittees to focus on different aspects of our project. Our subcommittees include:

*Design/Research
*Installation
*Site Selection
*Finance
*PR/Fundraising

Although we are in the early stages of the project, we do know that in order for us to construct a tribute that is worthy of the piece of history that the City of Redondo Beach has received, we are going to need significant funding from outside sources. There will be many different sponsorship opportunities available, and we will make sure that everyone who contributes will be recognized for their donation.

We are in need of both monetary and in-kind donations. To make a contribution or for more information please email Tom Krafick at LRB.tribute@gmail.com.

Leadership Redondo to develop 9/11 Memorial project

2007-08-30T11:53:00.000-07:00

By Sascha Bush
The Beach Reporter
August 16, 2007

In what's been described as both an honor and an awesome responsibility, the 2007 Leadership Redondo class has elected to develop the city's 9/11 memorial as its community project.

Members of the Leadership Redondo class, which includes both public officials and private citizens, adopted the plan during their June session, and although the project is still in its earliest phases, many class members are already honored by the task they have undertaken.

“Not a second thought was given to any other project,” said class member and Redondo Beach Police Capt. Tom Krafick.

The city had commemorated the receipt of the 300-pound artifact back in February, and at the time had collected a few thousand dollars to put toward the design of a permanent monument. Since then, little headway has been made until the Leadership Redondo class assumed the challenge of translating the artifact into an appropriate and meaningful display.

Heading up the group's endeavors is Krafick, who had been assigned the role of project manager. At present, each of the class members is assigned to a variety of subcommittees to consider site selection, design, fund-raising efforts and donation collection.

Step one, Krafick said, was “more or less looking for a home for it.” Currently, the artifact has a temporary home at the Redondo Beach Fire Department Station One, but finding a suitable location for the memorial is key, he went on.

“It is important to us and the New York Fire Department that the memorial be something that the public can go up to, interact with, that they could touch.”

Several sites are being considered, from the intersection of Harbor Drive and Pacific, to Aviation Park, Dominguez Park or even on the grounds of RBFD Station One on South Broadway. The group hadn't yet decided if “either an urban, or a more bucolic, landscaped area” would be the best choice for the memorial. “The location must be regional enough, accessible enough that everybody can come visit,” stated class member Mike Witzansky, director of Recreation and Community Services for the city.

The artifact, which was recovered from the site of the collapsed World Trade Center, bears a special significance for the city. Whereas other cities have erected memorials from pieces of the twin towers obtained from salvage yards, Redondo Beach's artifact was a gift born of a fast friendship between former Fire Association President and RBFD veteran Bob Franck and retired New York firefighter Bob Senn. Both played an integral part in the city's acquisition of this tangible piece of history.

By taking on the development of the memorial, Leadership Redondo hopes to honor the deeply felt sentiments attached to both the artifact, and the unfortunate events that created it. “It is important to us to pay tribute to the civilians, the airline employees, government employees, firefighters and police officers who lost their lives that day,” said Krafick.

According to the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce, which heads up the program, the goal of Leadership Redondo is “to develop effective community leaders who will strengthen and transform our community.” Each year Leadership Redondo, which began in 2000, adopts a project that will have an impact on the surrounding community. While past projects have included the Path of History from 2002, and last year's Picture Redondo, “no class has ever tackled something with this much significance” stated Witzansky. The class intends to have completed the 9/11 memorial by this time next year, he added, “(but) a project like this just takes time. Everybody reflects differently.”

Welcome to the Leadership Redondo Beach Class of 2007 9-11 Tribute Project Site!

2007-08-29T16:23:00.001-07:00

We feel very honored to have been given the opportunity to take on this tremendous task for the community. We will ensure that our 9-11 Tribute is built in honor of and represents the civilians, airline employees, Pentagon workers and police and firefighters who died on 9-11. This monument will symbolize the relationship that was strengthened between Redondo firefighters and their counterparts 3,000 miles away in New York after that horrific day in September 2001.