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Dear Friends:

On May 4, 2007 an entire American town disappeared when an EF-5 tornado destroyed 95% of Greensburg, Kansas.

On the upcoming 9/11 Anniversary 2008, we are going to bring a very special group of volunteers -- led by New York City firefighters who survived the 9/11 attacks -- to raise the spirits of the people of Greensburg in an historic and truly national community rebuilding effort:

"An American Barn-Raising in Greensburg, Kansas on the 9/11 Anniversary 2008"

From September 4-7, 2008 we are going to help the people of Greensburg, Kansas rebuild their devastated community by coordinating perhaps America's largest "Barn-Raising." Working in partnership with Kiowa County EMA, 4H Clubs, K-State Extension, SCKTRO, and South Central Kansas Community Foundation, The New York Says Thank You Foundation will be bringing over 150 volunteers from New York City and from around the United States to help rebuild the 14,000 square-foot Main Pavilion of Greensburg's 4H County Fairground. The Pavilion is the focal point of the 4H County Fairgrounds as it represents the area's strong agricultural tradition and serves as the central gathering place each year for the children and families of Greensburg, Kansas and the neighboring towns. The Pavilion is one of the structures that truly sits at the "heart" of this very special Kansas community and raising this landmark structure will help to uniquely raise the spirits of an entire town as well.

We expect hundreds of local volunteers to work shoulder-to-shoulder with our New York City firefighters and all the disaster survivors we will be bringing to Greensburg from around the U.S. as we do the quintessential "American Barn-Raising" this coming 9/11 Anniversary. We think the "barn-raising" is the perfect symbol for our 9/11 Anniversary rebuilding effort as The New York Says Thank You Foundation is all about celebrating the humanity we experienced as New Yorkers and as Americans on 9/12 when so many people from small towns and big cities all across this country converged on New York City to help us in our time of need. This is our special way of giving some of that love, back.

Joining our FDNY firefighter group in Greensburg will be Ground Zero construction workers, 9/11 family members, New York City school children, and scores of other New Yorkers directly impacted by September 11. Our New York group will also be joined by disaster survivors from every community we have assisted around the country on previous anniversaries of 9/11 who will be volunteering with us in Greensburg, Kansas as their way to "Pay It Forward." This special group of volunteers will include San Diego County wildfire survivors, Hurricane Katrina survivors from Slidell, Louisiana and Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and tornado survivors from Utica, Illinois, Evansville & DeGonia Springs, Indiana and Groesbeck, Texas.

We need your Immediate Help to make this 9/11 Anniversary 2008 rebuilding project a success
In order to pull off this landmark event for the people of Greensburg, Kansas we need to raise over $250,000 worth of donated building supplies for this special rebuilding effort. Similar to our project in Texas last 9/11 Anniversary when Rogers-O'Brien Construction of Dallas stepped up and helped us to get over 60 building supply companies from across the State of Texas to donate all the materials to rebuild the Vincent family home, we are going to need to reach out to the construction and building supply industry to help gather the materials needed to rebuild the Main Pavilion at the Greensburg 4H Center County Fairground. Construction companies and building suppliers interesting in donating materials for this special effort should contact Jeff Parness by clicking here for a complete materials list and related engineering drawings.

In addition to donated building materials, The New York Says Thank You Foundation will also have to raise $50,000 in cash donations to sponsor our largest volunteer group ever which we expect to be at least 150, and possibly 200 people strong! This year, sponsorship is $1,000 per FDNY firefighter/ NYSTY volunteer and any amount you donate will help. To support this 9/11 Anniversary 2008 rebuilding effort, please send your tax-deductible charitable contribution to: The New York Says Thank You Foundation, c/o Jeff Parness, 275 West 96 Street #9F, NY, NY 10025. (EIN# 20-1554830) You can also donate online by clicking on "DONATE NOW."

Your support of The New York Says Thank You Foundation enables us to provide uplifting and life-changing experiences on the 9/11 Anniversary for our FDNY firefighter and other New York volunteers while empowering them to help others as a way to pass on the generosity extended to us.

I greatly appreciate your continuing support of our special and growing nationwide mission: From one day of terror, 10 years of Kindness.

With my sincere gratitude,
Jeff
Jeff Parness
Founder & Board Member
The New York Says Thank You Foundation


THE NEW YORK SAYS THANK YOU FOUNDATION