Date: August 6, 2010
Contact: Lisa Linden, 212.575.4545
FLIGHT 93 MEMORIAL TASK FORCE TO SUNSET ON AUGUST 7 AS CONSTRUCTION OF FLIGHT 93 NATIONAL MEMORIAL MOVES FORWARD
Will Formally Disband After Joint Meeting with Flight 93 Advisory Commission
Having seen the Flight 93 National Memorial move from a concept to a design to actual and accelerating construction, the Executive Committee of the Flight 93 Memorial Task Force has decided to sunset the Task Force after its August 7 Joint Meeting with the Flight 93 Federal Advisory Commission. The decision to disband was explained in a letter sent to Task Force members by its Co-Chairs, Patrick White, Vice President of the Families of Flight 93 and Jerry Spangler, Somerset County District Attorney.
The Task Force is a grassroots organization for interested individuals who wished to participate in the planning and designing of the memorial. It includes Flight 93 family members, memorial-area community members, first responders, educators and other local, regional, and national volunteers. The Task Force began with 80 members, eventually growing to 100 members.
In the letter, Co-Chairs White and Spangler emphasized the critical role the Task Force played in creating the Flight 93 National Memorial. They noted that that it is due to the “dedication and commitment” of Task Force members that the first phase of memorial is under construction and a second phase is under design.
“Over the last nine years, the members of the Flight 93 Memorial Task Force have been crucial as partners with the National Park Service, the Families of Flight 93, the Flight 93 Advisory Commission and the National Park Foundation in every aspect of memorial planning, design and development,” they wrote. “Many of the activities formally under the auspices of the Task Force, have become part of the day-to-day operations of the memorial by the National Park Service, such as the temporary memorial and the archives. Others activities, such as land acquisition, have for the most part, been accomplished. Still others, such as design, construction and fundraising, continue to fall within the advisory capacity of the Flight 93 Advisory Commission. This is all a testimony to your success.”
Joanne Hanley, Superintendent, Flight 93 National Memorial said, "We have begun an important new season in the life of the Flight 93 National Memorial and the Flight 93 Memorial Task Force has played an vital role in getting us here. Although the Flight 93 partnership has been reorganized, public input, support and volunteers will still be needed to help ensure that the memorial's first phase is completed and that the next phase moves forward. Project updates will continue to be given at Flight 93 Advisory Commission meetings."
Keeping in mind those accomplishments and responsibility changes, leaders of the Flight 93 partners, including the Executive Committee of the Task Force, agreed in a May meeting that the full Task Force could and should expire as of August 7. However, the Co-Chairs would remain active partners and can reconvene the Task Force’s Advisory Commission Nominating Committee if needed. Under the 2002 federal law authorizing the memorial, the Task Force is responsible for nominating candidates to the U.S. Interior Secretary for the Flight 93 Advisory Commission. The Advisory Commission is responsible for providing recommendations to the Interior Department and the National Park Service (NPS) on the planning, construction and long-term management of the memorial.
The Co-Chairs encouraged Task Force members to continue to play an active part in the life of the memorial by joining the Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial and/or by becoming a NPS volunteer.
A copy of the letter is attached.
About the Flight 93 National Memorial
On Sept. 24, 2002, Congress passed the Flight 93 National Memorial Act. The Act created a new national park unit to commemorate the 40 passengers and crew of Flight 93 who, on Sept. 11, 2001, courageously gave their lives thereby thwarting a planned attack on our nation’s capital. The memorial is outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 crashed with the loss of its passengers and crew. The memorial will include the final resting places of the heroes as well as visitor facilities and related infrastructure. For more information about the memorial, please visit www.nps.gov/flni. For information on how to make a donation and help build the memorial, please go to www.honorflight93.org.
