Month in Review

Connecticut has suffered many horrors, from the Sandy Hook school massacre to the Petit home invasion. This month, we recall the Sept.11 attack that took so many lives. But such horrors are hardest on those who have lost loved ones. This Key Issues Forum looks at how people find the resiliency to recover from traumatic loss. The forum will be 6-7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, at Hartford Hospital's Heublein Hall, 560 Hudson St., Hartford. It is free and open to the public, by reservation.

This family friendly event features health and wellness tests and screening, fitness activities, healthy cooking demos and a meet and greet with Giants players and NBC Talent. VOICES will host a table to inform participants about the World Trade Center Health Program. The four-time Super Bowl champion New York Giants and broadcast partner NBC 4 New York are teaming up to host the second annual FREE family-friendly NBC 4 and New York Giants Health & Fitness Expo, presented by Quest Diagnostics.

Carrie Miller, the Program Director in our New Jersey office, and intern Lauren Picciallo participated in the 24th Annual Edison Family day on Saturday June 14th at the NJ Convention & Expo Center in Raritan Center. During the event, they spoke to 9/11 responders and survivors about their potential eligibility for the World Trade Center Health Program and distributed applications. The World Trade Center Health Program provides services for responders, workers, and volunteers who helped with rescue, recovery, and cleanup at the World Trade Center and related sites in New York City.

On Tuesday, June 10th VOICES Center of Excellence for Community Resilience is hosting a half-day training on Motivational Interviewing. The training will be held from 1pm to 4pm at the VOICES office, located at 84 Albany Street, New Brunswick, NJ. Emma Shelby, Assistant Director of Wellness and Recovery Services at The Mental Health Association in New Jersey will provide the training. The training is free, but space is limited and reservations are required.

As the 9/11 Museum officially opens to the public today, I want to take a moment to acknowledge those who made this day possible. This has been a long journey and a collaborative effort that began just months after the attacks when families and others impacted gathered to discuss creating a fitting memorial. The Museum would not have been built without the leadership of government officials including Mayor Bloomberg. Governor Pataki, Senators Clinton and Schumer, to mention a few. Learn More.

Karen Loftus from the Office of the Chief Prosecutor of Military Commissions asked us to send you information about hearings scheduled at Guantanamo Bay in April and June. Karen's email is below and you can view the current docketing order. There is a hearing scheduled in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba from 14-17 April 2014. All four of the CCTV sites will be open daily. If you need to update your badge, please let us know and we will alert the Visitor's Center of your expected arrival. Learn More.

Our partners at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum have asked us to share exciting news about the upcoming opening of the 9/11 Memorial Museum! In the email below, they provide details about the Dedication Period that begins on Thursday, May 15, preceding the public opening on Wednesday May 21, 2014. The opening of the Museum would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of thousands of people for nearly 13 years.

Bikeman is a new play adapted from the critically acclaimed book by Thomas F. Flynn, a reporter recounting his first person experience on the morning of the September 11 attacks. The Producers of Bikeman proudly support the 9/11 Memorial. Learn More.

The Michael Lynch Memorial Foundation is a scholarship program. Its' purpose is to provide grants to enable the children of firefighters, the children of other victims of the September 11 attacks, and the children of other fires and disasters to afford higher education. The specific details on eligibility as well as the application process may be found on our website, www.mlynch.org.

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum will host a 5KRun/Walk and Family Day in New York City on April 27. All funds raised will directly support the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. You can participate by registering as a Global Runner and committing to run, walk, or participate from home. Please encourage friends, family, co-workers, or even your local gym to get involved.