We were recently invited to Greensburg, KS by the New York Says Thank You organization (you can see a little about them at the Youtube link here) for their annual Pay it Forward event. Each year a group of US citizens headed by FDNY firefighters, many who were present on 9/11, go to another U.S. location hit by hardship to help fellow Americans rebuild their lives after disaster. Each year, more and more people show up to help - usually from the place that was helped the year before. This year, it was Greensburg, KS, a town virtually destroyed by an EF-5 tornado May 4, 2007. Along with the FDNY, there was help from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, California, Louisiana, Mississippi and others. They all worked together in mud like you wouldn't believe! to raise a barn on the fairgrounds in Greensburg, KS for the 4H club. They worked sun up to sundown for 3 days and, even though the weather was a little hampering, got a great start for the barn! As a side project, FDNY sent the flag that was hanging at ground zero for several months after 9/11 until enough debris could be removed to reach it, to Greensburg, where it was lovingly patched with flags from Greensburg and other places. We were humbled and honored to be here and to document the weekend's activities for this wonderful organization. Jeff Parness summed it up in his 9/12 email "Seven years ago today, our world changed forever as well. That’s the day New Yorkers and Americans came together and witnessed unprecedented acts of kindness, neighborliness, and love. And that’s what NEW YORK SAYS THANK YOU is all about. What we do is not about 9/11. What we do is about 9/12....From one day of terror, 10 Years of Kindness." Please take a look at the video link and you are welcome to go to Pictage.com to view the Greensburg, KS Barn Raising photos we're sharing! Please support this organization with your time, talents and/or money! NewYorkSaysThankYou.org. Thank you!
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