President Bush Calls for Americans to Honor Those Lost on 9/11 by Engaging in Community Service and Good Deeds

President Bush Calls for Americans to Honor Those Lost on 9/11 by
Engaging in Community Service and Good Deeds

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story/09-06-2007/0004657789>
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Presidential Proclamation Provides Key Support to myGoodDeed, the
Nonprofit Initiative to Establish 9/11 as a National Day of Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time since the 2001
terrorist attacks, President George Bush's Patriot Day 2007
Proclamation, released this week, is calling upon Americans to observe
the anniversary of the upcoming 9/11 terrorist attacks not only as a
day of personal reflection and remembrance, but also as a day of
voluntary and charitable service.

In his annual 9/11 Proclamation, the President stated that, "The
spirit of our people is the source of America's strength, and six
years ago, Americans came to the aid of neighbors in need. On Patriot
Day, we pray for those who died and for their families. We volunteer
to help others and demonstrate the continuing compassion of our
citizens. On this solemn occasion, we rededicate ourselves to laying
the foundation of peace with confidence in our mission and our free
way of life."

"The President's message of volunteerism, delivered for the first time
in a 9/11 Proclamation, is truly important," said David Paine,
president and co-founder of myGoodDeed (http://www.myGoodDeed.org),
the influential nonprofit that has worked successfully behind the
scenes since 2003 to win political support for transforming 9/11 into
an annually recognized national day of service, charity and good
deeds. "The President's call to service helps provide the nation with
a much needed answer to the question of how 9/11 should be remembered
for generations to come.

"Since 2001, the President has made service a central part of his
policy, and we are delighted that he is formally acknowledging through
this Proclamation the historic role that 9/11 played in inspiring
literally millions of people to dedicate far more time each year to
helping others, and in reshaping the nation's attitudes toward
volunteerism," Paine said.

Interest From All 50 States and More Than 100 Countries

myGoodDeed is the national initiative encouraging individuals and
organizations to perform good deeds and other forms of charitable
service as a long-term way to honor the victims, survivors, volunteers
and rescue and recovery workers of 9/11. myGoodDeed was founded by
Paine and his close friend Jay S. Winuk, following the death of Jay's
brother, attorney and volunteer firefighter Glenn J. Winuk, who died
in the line of duty in the September 11, 2001, attack on the World
Trade Center. Last year the myGoodDeed web site attracted more than
2.2 million hits, and more than 150,000 individuals and businesses
posted good deeds in observance of 9/11. This year, organizers expect
to far surpass those figures, having already received pledges for more
than 50,000 good deeds from all 50 U.S. states and more than 100
different countries and international territories, including China,
Russia, Kenya, Iran, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and the Philippines.

"For all the 9/11 survivors and family members, the President's 9/11
message of service, as well as remembrance, is a giant step toward
creating a permanent, living legacy of compassionate service in the
names of the victims, families, volunteers and countless heroes of
9/11, a powerful and unprecedented national tribute that should
continue to grow as the years go by," said Monica Iken, a 9/11 Board
member of the National 9/11 Memorial and president and founder of
September's Mission.

Issuance of the new 9/11 Presidential Proclamation follows an equally
successful effort by myGoodDeed to win support for its mission in the
U.S. Congress. In 2004, the myGoodDeed organization worked closely
with Congressional leaders to secure unanimous passage of H. Con. Res.
473, introduced by U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) and U.S.
Representative Peter King (R-Long Island, NY), urging the designation
of 9/11 as a national day of service, charity and compassion. This
year, letters of support urging Congressional colleagues to pledge to
perform good deeds on 9/11 were circulated last week in both houses of
Congress. The Senate letter was signed by Senator Schumer as well as
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-
NJ), both original co-sponsors of H. Con. Res. 473, along with U.S.
Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Arlen Specter (R-PA). The House
letter was signed by U.S. Representatives King, Michael Ferguson (R-
NJ), Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento) and Joe Crowley (D-Queens).

"Observing 9/11 as a national day of volunteerism, charity and good
deeds is a wonderful way to pay tribute to the victims, survivors,
rescue and recovery workers and volunteers of 9/11," said Alice
Hoagland, myGoodDeed board member and mother of Mark Bingham, one of
the passengers on United Flight #93 who bravely stormed the cockpit in
an attempt to wrestle control from the terrorists. "I'm delighted to
learn of the President's support for this heartfelt vision."

"We greatly appreciate and thank the President for his leadership in
urging Americans to honor through volunteerism the victims, heroes and
all those who rose in service in the aftermath of the attacks," said
Winuk, vice president and co-founder of myGoodDeed. "We are also
grateful to the thousands of 9/11 family members, government
officials, corporate supporters, non-profits and other leaders who
have worked tirelessly by our side in helping to bring this observance
to life over the past six years. To honor those lost by helping people
in need is an exceptional, meaningful form of tribute."

myGoodDeed.org, a 501c3 nonprofit, is supported by more than 20 9/11
family member and support organizations. The organization receives
financial and in-kind support from AOL, Yahoo, American Express
Company, Ambac, Keefe Bruyette & Woods and KPMG. For more information,
visit http://www.myGoodDeed.org

SOURCE http://www.myGoodDeed.org

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