Donations still needed for Project 9/11 Indianapolis

UPDATE 9/7/11: Project 9-11 Indianapolis is still $50,000 shy of their goal of $350,000.  No government funding is being used to build the project.  All funding is being provided by private donations.  If you would like to contribute to the memorial there is still time to go to www.Project911Indianapolis.org and click on the donate button at the bottom of the page to make a tax deductible donation.  Project 9-11 Indianapolis will be dedicated in a ceremony at 4pm on Sunday September 11, 2011 on the site at 421 West Ohio Street along the White River Canal.

Project 9/11 Indianapolis began early in 2010 by Greg Hess, a City of Indianapolis firefighter/paramedic as a grass roots effort to establish a permanent Memorial dedicated to those killed in the collapse of the World Trade Center, the crash of aircraft in Shanksville, Pennsylvania and the Pentagon.

In 2001, Greg was a member of Indiana Task Force 1, one of the first FEMA Search & Rescue teams to arrive at Ground Zero. INTF-1 spent 8 days in New York assisting the local agencies in the rescue and recovery efforts.

In 2010, Greg petitioned the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to obtain 2 steel beams from the World Trade Center. The following individuals were instrumental in assisting Greg in his efforts:

• Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard
• Indianapolis Fire Chief Brian Sanford
• Indianapolis Police Chief Paul Ciesielski
• Indiana Congressman Mike Pence
• Indiana Congressman Dan Burton
• Indiana Congressman Andre Carson

After months of effort, the City of Indianapolis was granted possession of two 22 foot steel beams.

Those steel beams will be the focal point of Project 9/11 Indianapolis. The Memorial will be dedicated on September 11, 2011, the 10th anniversary of one of the darkest days in American history.

Project 9/11 Indianapolis will be built at 421 West Ohio Street along the White River Canal. It will become a part of the city landscape that includes the USS Indianapolis Memorial and the Medal of Honor Memorial.

No government funding is available or being used to build Project 9/11 Indianapolis. This project is relying solely based on donations from the private sector.

If you would like to make a tax deductible donation, please go to www.Project911Indianapolis.org and click on the donate button at the bottom of the page.