Over the years, the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation has received numerous symbolic gifts in memory of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Some have come from common citizens (local and distant), and others from celebrities, politicians, fire department representatives, and others.
Recently, the Foundation was honored to receive a beautiful tribute, a sculpture commissioned by Larry Beckler entitled A Day of Service™. The statue pays homage to the firefighters and other first responders who gave their lives in an effort to save others on September 11, 2001, and the innocent men and women who simply went to work like they would on any normal Tuesday morning.
Larry’s vision in creating A Day of Service™ was to bring to life the bravery and heroism of the first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice, and to thank those who currently wear uniforms in service to our country and local communities each and every day. The task of finding a proper and respectful home for the sculpture was essential to Larry.
For many years, Larry and his wife Marlena, have been good friends of the Foundation. The couple found its connection through the annual Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk held in the Raleigh, North Carolina area known as The Triangle. In fact, Marlena has stepped up to be the volunteer Race Director for this year’s event. For many years, this role was held by our dear friend Lisa Bender. The connection to the Foundation led Larry to believe that our home office was the perfect location for the statue to be displayed.
A Day of Service™ sits prominently on a custom-built pedestal at the entryway of the Foundation’s Staten Island headquarters. Visitors cannot enter our office without seeing the sculpture. Beautifully illuminated with a spotlight, the glow casts a shadow of the sculpture on the wall behind it, bringing the image of the inside of the towers on September 11th to life for all to see. It’s a powerful image and one cannot help but think about what was running through the minds of our first responders as they ran up the stairs to save innocent lives.
This image of first responders ascending the steps symbolizes the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s mantra to “StandTall.” Each day, we are called to rise up and support our first responders and military heroes – just as they do for us each and every day. A Day of Service™ has, without question, found a home here at the Foundation. The statue goes hand in hand with our mission to support our first responders and military heroes, and to never forget the sacrifices made on 9/11.
Thank you to Larry for choosing the Foundation as a home for your beautiful and touching tribute. We are honored to have it and grateful to host such a highly symbolic piece of art.
We would like to send out a massive thank you to both Larry and Marlena for their continued friendship with all of us here at the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. We cannot wait to see what big things you have in store down in The Triangle for this year’s event. Thank you for continuing to bring Stephen’s story to your local community, and for your efforts to support first responders and our most catastrophically injured service members. Our volunteer Race Directors are so much more than just volunteers. They are part of our Tunnel to Towers Family – forever connected to each one of us as we are continue to “StandTall” in the memory of September 11, 2001.
For more information on A Day of Service, please visit http://www.adayofservice.com/.
To join Marlena and Larry on September 16th in The Triangle for the annual Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk, please visit https://www.crowdrise.com/T2TTriangle2017.
“Let Us Do Good”