We are just trying to do a little good... spread a little love and appreciation.
9-11 is not the 'theme' but instead a day that we, the artists of Artists at Gulf Place and lots of creative locals, have chosen to say thank you to the Firefighters of the SW Fire District and to let them know that we will forever remember and honor the 346 firefighters that lost their lives on September 11.
Those 346 firefighters dedicated their lives to the service of others and I believe it to be a great tribute to those men and women that the SW Fire District would use the money we raise on September 11 to purchase smoke detectors and donate them to the hearing impaired.
Those that are given smoke detectors may not be "victim's families" ... but on September 11, 2001, we were all family.
I appreciate your response and what the firefighters are trying to accomplish and their tribute to the 346 firefighters from New York and the tri-state area who perished, but there are still many first responders and workers who were involved in the clean-up, sometimes in very unhealthy conditions breathing dust and smoke all day long. Many of these people are unable to work and not being compensated. They are losing their homes, unable to provide for their families, and losing their health benefits in the worst of economic times. Here is recent testimony before the House documenting such.
http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/pdf/Melius090331.pdf
Living in New York and having had an Uncle nearly recently die from pneumonia because of damage to his lungs has made me much more aware of these families. Fortunately, he was ready to retire 9/11, but stayed a year longer for clean up efforts and is receiving his pension now. But, others have not been so lucky, which is why I was surprised to see firefighters raising funds for something other than than their brothers. Perhaps they are unaware due to the distance of what is happening to their brethren.
http://www.beyondgroundzero.org/
I would have been more amiable to seeing a Fire Safety fundraiser at a different time with sales of other items, coloring books, badges for children, something along those lines, to raise funds for smokeless fire detectors. I would be happy to help from afar or when in town in coordinating such if the SWFD changes their minds and reroutes their donations. If not, I hope any extra funds does and at the very least, I have made people aware of what is going on who may wish to donate clothing, food or monies to these people on 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance. It's easy to lose sight of such things when living in Paradise.