A Letter from DG William Leeper of 5450 (Colorado, USA). Several 5450 Clubs got together and collected $8,281

(click to enlarge)

Dear Fellow Rotarians,

We at the Booneville Rotary Club in Booneville, MS are shocked and
dismayed at the tragic events that occurred this morning in your great
city.  We would like to help anyway possible.  Please let us know how we
can may assist, either monetarily and/or through other means.  Our
thoughts and prayers are with you and the people in your community
during this time of tragedy. 
 

Dear Matts,

I read with great interest your e-mail.  As you may know, I am the Chief Dental Consultant to the Chief Medical Examiner's Office.  I, with many other forensic dentists, are responsible for identifying those victims who cannot be identified by any means except their dentition.  This, as you can imagine,  is a very tedious and laborious task because of the condition of the bodies.  I had hoped that following the bombing of the WTC in 1993 I
would not have to experience working on another terrorist disaster. Please keep us in your prayers, as well as all the others who are called to respond to this disaster.  

My best regards, Jeff Burkes

Dear Matts 

On behalf of my Club of Calgary Crowchild, District 5360, I send our deepest condolences to the Citizens of New York who have lost loved ones, and express our extreme sadness and sorrow at this dreadful tragedy and for all those injured.  We are comforted by the bonding of our Rotary Fellowship, and offer you our support at this time of grief and desolation. 

Let us hope for peace and recovery without retribution, and that once again, the day will arrive when we can walk freely in this otherwise wonderful world.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you all in New York, and the country. 

From your Canadian Fellow Rotarians 

Dr Mo Verjee 

President 2001-2002

Rotary Club of Calgary Crowchild

Alberta, Canada 

As the event was unfolding, my phone rang.

My daughters Brazilian father (she was a Rotary exchange student in 88-89) called to express his outrage, sympathy and concern. He had been unable to reach my daughter directly.  I later learned that she was in a classroom at UMass Boston, watching Logan Airport and knowing what had happened in NY. She was interestingly enough in a class for Middle East Studies.  The conversation was lively.  As an exchange student, she learned about the other side of the coin, relating to United States and how the world views us.  Her husband is also of Lebanese descent. Afonso was so upset and wished to tell someone in The United States that he cared.
We all have stories like that.  I thank God For Rotary, my friends through Rotary and all the good that Rotary does and will continue to do.

Sharon Harbula
now of Northmont Rotary in Englewood Ohio
formerly of Colonie Guildlerland Rotary, in Colonie, NY

Matts,

I am a member of the Angels Murphys Rotary Club, here in the California Foothills. http://www.a-mrotary.org We are a small club, 40 or so, and rural country dwellers, in District 5220.

Our club passed out your account of what you went through seeing the collapse of the Twin Towers, and wanted to tell you I know your horrors!

August 15th, my 21 year old daughter, only child, and her fiancée, moved to NYC. I accompanied them to their new home, 4 blocks south of the World Trade Center. The corner of Greenwich and Rector - http://www.88greenwich.com Shannon was in her apartment when the first plane hit, her fiancée was at law school at NYU. He called her and she turned on the TV about the time the window went black with the collapse of the first tower. Falling debris came past the window, and she grabbed a sweatshirt, her purse, put on thongs and headed out the door.

Others from the apartment were in the hallway discussing staying or going out, they collectively decided they needed to leave, and wet down t-shirts and tied to their faces and left the building. They had to travel South, before they could circle to one side and head North. As they were walking through the thick dust and debris, they heard shouts "The second tower is coming down, RUN" and they did!

From what I understand from her, they were on Greenwich before Battery Park.

Finally around 8:15 or so Pacific Time, she got a cellular call to me, and I advised where her fiancée was to wait for her, I was on a cell phone call to him as we both watched in horror as the second tower collapsed, neither of us knowing where Shannon was!

They reunited at NYU and found a hotel for Tuesday night. They are now staying on the floor of an acquaintance's apartment, I have not heard from her today on how well that will work. This woman and my daughter met when they were children, and have had no contact  since then, but she and her roommates graciously opened their apartment to them.

God Bless you and your family, and our fellow NY Rotarians Fellow

Rotarian, Lynda

Lynda Key - Tusoni

Goldrush World Access

I am Donna Walton and I am the president of the Fredonia Rotary Club in Nacogdoches, Texas. I received your e-mail describing the terror of last Tuesday. Please know that our club will be praying for you and your members. We will observe a moment of silence at our next meeting and ask that our members contact you to offer support and encouragement.

Is there anything our club can do? Is there anything specifically that you need that we can provide? Please let me know.

We will continue our prayers for you and your club members.

Sincerely,