Saturday, September 3, 2011

Big Sunday L.A. Charity Memorial Event in California A Fitting Memorial to 9/11

September 11 - Hope & Renewal
#3 in an 11-Day Memorial Series of Posts

From New York to Los Angeles and every state in the U.S. in between, observance plans are being finalized for 9/11 across the country next Sunday. In fact, the events that will mark the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and the four jets that crashed resulting in almost 3000 people being murdered are amazingly varied.  In the third post of the September 11 memorial series, we'll look at one of the more unusual memorial events that has been scheduled -- one that remembers everything that was lost that day, but is intended to actively make the world a better place, too -- the Big Sunday Los Angeles Food Drive and Community Breakfast.
iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

To commemorate the upcoming 9-11 anniversary, Big Sunday is turning their September Monthly on Melrose service event into get together and special food drive for a food pantry for the poor in L.A. SOVA -- which is an acronym for Sustenance - Opportunity - Volunteerism - Advocacy.

The morning will include a potluck breakfast for volunteers. In addition, in conjunction with Operation Gratitude, attendees will be invited to write letters to U.S. active duty troops, as well as have the opportunity to share personal memories of September 11th with each other. The event is set for Sunday, September 11, from 6 AM to 12 PM at the Big Sunday office, 6111 Melrose Ave. in L.A.

According to Big Sunday Founder and Executive Director and author of Everyone Helps, Everyone Wins, David Levinson, "This special community service event feels like a fitting way to mark this difficult anniversary.  The event begins at 6:00 AM because the attacks occurred at about 6:30 West Coast time."

Big Sunday is a member of a new coalition of L.A. service organizations called L.A. Remembers plan service events such as this to commemorate the tenth anniversary of this American tragedy.  The non-profit's mission is to build community through community service in Southern California with volunteers coming from and serving all kinds of neighborhoods.  The idea is everyone has natural gifts that they can share to help others.

See the Big Sunday website for more details.  Also, feel free to contact David Levinson at david@bigsunday.org if you want to volunteer, donate, attend, or help in any other way.

Don't miss the other posts in this unique Mommy Blogger
September 11th Memorial
Series of Hope & Renewal
Thursday, September 1, 2011 - Imagery of a Pink Hand Bag
Friday, September 2, 2011 – Life is Too Short After 9/11 Book Review
Saturday, September 3, 2011 – Charity Event Fitting Memorial to 9/11
Sunday, September 4, 2011 – Songs & Music Inspired by 9/11
Wednesday, September 7, 2011 – Teaching Kids from K-12 About 9/11
Thursday, September 8, 2011 –  9/11 Acknowledged by Fashion's Night Out

Please Comment
What plans do you have to honor and observe the 10th anniversary of 9/11? Please share and leave a comment below.





FTC Disclosure: I did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.
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Friday, September 2, 2011

Life is Too Short Stories of Transformation and Renewal After 9/11 - Memorial Series Book Review

September 11 - Hope & Renewal
#2 in an 11-Day Memorial Series of Posts

Life is too short. For all September 11th survivors – whether or not we knew anyone who was injured or lost their life or that of a loved one that day – this is a truly poignant statement. After all it is us, the living, who must cope with the aftermath of the worst terrorist attack to ever occur on U.S. soil.  Thankfully, there's an uplifting and inspirational new book – Life is Too Short Stories of Transformation and Renewal After 9/11 – that can help us continue to heal as well as search and find new meaning in our lives to commemorate the tragedy's 10th anniversary.


It is well-accepted that most of us were deeply affected by this disaster.  But zeroing in on what inspired some particular people and how they took action after the events of that horrible day, is something that we can all find instructive.  

This is the second post in this blog's  11 Days of September 9/11 Memorial Post Series. In the post-2001 world that we live in, this new title by Wendy Stark Healy may be just the read to help us proceed with our personal and national renewals to once again be able to appreciate the best things in life and what is great about living in America. 

After September 11, Healy worked on the front lines of the tragedy as communications director for Lutheran Disaster Response of New York and the Lutheran Bishop of the Metropolitan New York Synod. At times, the book does touch on religion lightly, but never in an offensive way. So, I think those of us not of the Christian faith can benefit from reading this.

This book, with portrait photography by Dru Nadler, retells the real life stories of 12 men and women who were directly touched by 9/11 during the rescue and restorative period that followed. Each true vignette that is told is as unique as the person who lived it -- from a Lutheran pastor, the CEO of September 11 Families Association, an equities trader, and an academic of practical theology, to various leaders of community institutions, a spiritual healer, and a female musician. 

These are all amazing and inspiring people, for sure. However, to me, the most captivating story of all you'll read about is about a young lady (a liver transplant recipient as a baby) who was just 11 in 2001.  She has leveraged the tragic experience ever since to celebrate life by raising awareness among teens about the homeless.

No one says it better in this book than Dr. David Grand, Ph.D., a New York psychologist and trauma counselor who has provided support to nearly 500 people with 9/11-related issues. He explains that generally the impacts of tragedies are lessened over time and people soon forget and go back to normal life. 

“Commemorating 9/11 is a way to remember the tragedy and to let survivors know that they haven’t been forgotten,” Dr. Grand says.

With such emotion, it’s a good thing that each person’s story is a separate chapter, because this book is certain to inspire heavy reflection into each of us that reads this.  So, take this book slowly as it will likely ignite some new ideas and thoughts of your own.

Life is Too Short Stores of Transformation and Renewal After 9/11 by Wendy Stark Healy $12.95 (paperback); $22.95 (hardback); and $9.99 (E-Book) is published by iUniverse.

Don't miss the other posts in this unique Mommy Blogger
September 11th Memorial
Series of Hope & Renewal
Thursday, September 1, 2011 - Imagery of a Pink Hand Bag
Friday, September 2, 2011 – Life is Too Short After 9/11 Book Review
Saturday, September 3, 2011 – Charity Event Fitting Memorial to 9/11
Sunday, September 4, 2011 – Songs & Music Inspired by 9/11
Wednesday, September 7, 2011 – Teaching Kids from K-12 About 9/11
Thursday, September 8, 2011 –  9/11 Acknowledged by Fashion's Night Out


Please Comment
What is your own story about how 9/11 touched you and how you have changed as a person for that better? Please share and leave a comment below.






FTC Disclosure: I received the book discussed to facilitate this review. However, I did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.
No comments:

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Imagery of a Mommy's Pink Hand Bag - 9/11 Hope & Renewal Memorial Series

September 11 - Hope & Renewal
 #1 in an 11-Day Memorial Series of Posts


A picture can tell thousands of words, if not an infinite number of stories that are as personal and numerous as all the ways each of us was touched by the events of September 11th.

This first post in a new series marking the days leading up to the 10th Anniversary of that tragic and historical day, interprets the symbolism behind the icon for this 9/11 mommy blogger memorial series: A pink hand bag emblazoned with a scene that includes the World Trade Center much as it looked early the morning of September 11, 2001 . The purse chosen to be associated with this very special group of posts, was purchased in New York in January when I was last in the city for the Dreamers Into Doers Conference hosted by Martha Stewart OmniMedia. 

Hopefully this series -- featuring new daily inspirational posts to be published each of the first 11 days of September through 9/11 -- will provide solace and a glimmer of hope to all. Just as importantly, I hope this project serves as a new source of renewal for all moms, dads, women, men, and children who were directly affected, as well as to the American public at large.
iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com


The Story Behind this Iconic Pink Bag
I had originally bought this bag as a souvenir on my most recent NYC business trip for one of my triplet daughters.  But, when I got back to the West Coast, I had an unexplained feeling that this seemingly kitsch of a purse had a higher purpose, so instead I wrapped it in tissue paper to stash away.

Recently, I took this bag out again, to look at it more closely. What struck me first was, though it was manufactured recently, it depicts both towers and all the other structures of the World Trade Center neighborhood still standing, much as they did before the first commercial jet was crashed into its walls on 9/11.

The Statue of Liberty and fireworks on the horizon as well as the city lights on the skyline all evoked a sense of patriotic appreciation for everything that America has always stood for. It seemed to be speaking to me and saying, “The freedom and bravery of the United States and its citizens is resilient and can never be taken away from us, no matter what challenges lay before our people."

The pink background appears to stir profound emotions, as well. After all this is a soft color that is derived from blending a small amount of red and a much larger amount of white together – with the red symbolizing our huge losses that day and the white representing the magnified new found hope and renewal for the future that has sprung forth from the ashes. The use of color here truly succeeds as it frames the entire image so appropriately and beautifully in other ways too. Notice that the sky is pink -- not black or gray -- on the horizon looking eastward over the Hudson River.  I interpret this as a new dawn that is just arriving on the shores of America in 2011.

This morning, the first day of September, I took this hand bag outside to photograph it to contrast the scene of the New York I remember from by childhood replete it’s pre-2001 skyline still intact against the greenest grass I could find. I'd intended to simply juxtapose the green new growth against the bag to underscore a new beginning for America. 

But something really phenomenal happened. I’d already decided to use this artful accessory as the icon for this 11 Days of September Internet memorial before I even had loaded the image on my computer screen. Then it struck me.  Zooming in on the digital photo on the desktop, I noticed something really unusual about this picture.

iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Look closely at the details of the photo above -- taken this morning -- showing the effect the natural light created when I snapped this pic with my iPhone. What you see appears to be a column of light between the two towers shining brighter and brighter as it reaches toward heaven. Notice the reflection of light that spills over into the darkness of the river in front of it, too, reminding us never to forget. Yet, it’s as if the brightness above – a new and stronger glow to light our path -- is the predominant force spurring us forward, symbolizing inspiration, hope, and renewal as we move toward the future with optimism.

Don't miss the other posts in this unique Mommy Blogger
September 11th Memorial
Series of Hope & Renewal
Thursday, September 1, 2011 - Imagery of a Pink Hand Bag
Friday, September 2, 2011 – Life is Too Short After 9/11 Book Review
Saturday, September 3, 2011 – Charity Event Fitting Memorial to 9/11
Sunday, September 4, 2011 – Songs & Music Inspired by 9/11
Wednesday, September 7, 2011 – Teaching Kids from K-12 About 9/11
Thursday, September 8, 2011 –  9/11 Acknowledged by Fashion's Night Out


Please Comment
What kinds of things have you seen or experienced in the past decade that have given you new hope and a feeling of renewal 10 years later? Please share and leave a comment below.







FTC Disclosure:  I  did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post.  See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.
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