Mark Your Calendar! Save the Date! The Annual Meeting will be Saturday-Sunday, September
29-30th at the DoubleTree Hotel, Pentagon City, VA, very close to the Washington/National Airport. We are excited about the 'upscale' hotel for only $99 per night. We are also planning a special Saturday dinner in the rooftop Jefferson Room with a great view of the Capital. Keynote Speakers and Special Guests will be announced as soon as we have confirmations. We have a special offer of Free Registration at the Annual Meeting for those who have Letters to the Editor published! We're looking forward to the best meeting yet!
NADA/F had a very busy February, including a long working weekend in Washington DC for a Board Meeting. We spent considerable time defining the Family Support Team, and our discussion centered on providing the highest standards possible. We have wonderful volunteers, and this is something we have wanted to do for a long time. We welcome your participation! During the four days we attended congressional meetings to educate our legislators about NADA/F's Goals for 2001, plus meetings with the FAA, NTSB, U.S. Department of State, and others.
NADA/F's invitation to meet with the FAA MAC (Management Advisory Council), while in Washington DC, was an important first! FAA MAC is a Council of airline/industry executives, and the topic was FAA Rule Making, and the legally required Cost Benefit Analysis. We stated that they may travel 600 miles an hour, but often aviation safety seems to move at a snail's pace. They were receptive, and said they could not disagree with what we are saying. We proposed some changes, such as eliminating the requirement of cost benefit analysis so that safety recommendations could be evaluated on the merits not the money!
The most important part of our discussion was our recommendation of independent oversight of the Aviation Trust Fund, the $5 to $7 billion a year collected from transportation taxes. We shared information about the diversion of transportation funds, while safety is shortchanged. NADA/F has long advocated a "SAFETY FIX TRUST FUND" with public interest oversight to prioritize the funds strictly for safety, not political projects. We appreciated the opportunity to discuss these issues with people who are able to make a difference.
February also included another FAA meeting on Feb. 7th for ARAC membership, with a NADA/F
presentation -- a week of NOVA training with a terrific group of international participants, and more.
To learn more about what's new at NADA/F simply read on!
Yours truly,
Gail A. Dunham, President
Introducing a few of our NADA/F
Family Support Team - FST Leaders…
Barb Skudlarick - Director, Family Support Team
Email: MazamaJoe@cs.com (360)
371-4108
Barb is a retired R.N., retired Flight Attendant, and Director for Family Support Team. Barb also survived an air crash landing while a teen-ager traveling alone to attend school in Colorado. All survived, however, the aircraft was destroyed, and the passengers knew their lives had changed that day.
After retiring from the airlines, Barb became a Disaster Service Volunteer. Emergency response experience includes: Government Liaison for the local Red Cross, working
in the EOC (Emergency Operations Center) the night of the Olympic Oil Bellingham pipe line explosion, and the DAT (Disaster Action Team) for local disasters when the community was impacted by the loss of 12 former students/alumni who were on Alaska 261 on Jan. 31, 2000.
"This is an opportunity for us to make a difference where and when help is most needed. We will do everything possible to help family members, and give follow-up support to our FST Members. I found NADA/F on the Internet and NADA/F was most helpful in sharing information to help prepare the aviation disaster plan for our local area. I attended the Annual Meeting and was impressed to meet family members who have sustained such pain and loss, yet have come together, and are working with aviation professionals, government, and the industry, to promote safety and support for victims' families. Each crash is unique, and the dynamics of each person's loss is very different, yet all are able to be patient and supportive with each other. I welcome the opportunity to work with such special people. If you want to learn more about FST please let us know and we will mail a packet of information to you. Feel free to send an email or give me a call." Barb Skudlarick - Bellingham, WA
Jim Hurd - from Maryland
Email: CYN29HU@yahoo.com (410) 802-6059
Jim lost his son on TWA 800 and it changed his life. Jim organized the first NOVA training for NADA/F members, and has helped develop the FST concept and our role.
"I will go anywhere at any time if I can help someone after an air disaster. I remember the three weeks at the Ramada while we waited for information about our loved ones. No one told us that we might have to wait ten months or more for a proper funeral. I feel that I can reassure others to try and be patient, and that an air crash is different from other disasters." Jim Hurd
Joan Pontante - from Oswego NY
Email: Japontante@juno.com (315) 593-3279
Joan's family lost 5 family members on NW255, including three small children, almost 14 years ago. Joan has been an active member since the first air crash family group meeting in 1992.
"Family members have networked with each other for many years, and I have developed terrific friends all over the world through NADA/F. Support was a goal of our NW255 group, and we gave support to other air crash families. NADA/F Family Support Team, on a well-organized level, is something that we have wanted for many years, and I am proud of our program and our volunteers. We did not have support available in years past, and we know how important those first few days can be to a family." Joan Pontante
Murielle Provost from Nova Scotia, Canada
Email: MProvost@istar.ca (902) 435-4851
Murielle earned her Master's Degree in Human Ecology, and specialized in Family Life Education with an interest in working with families in crises. Experience includes the Disaster Response Team Leader for the Canadian Red Cross, Halifax Regional Municipality. Within 2 hours of the crash of Swissair 111 on September 2, 1998, Muriel responded to the call and went directly to Peggy's Cove. She was appointed Coordinator for family services at Peggy's Cove, and was responsible for the welfare of the emergency response personnel in her area. Murielle also assisted with preparation of the first memorial for SR 111.
"I want to contribute to the healing process. I learned so much from the family members after Swissair 111, and I was humbled by their strength. After the sudden loss of a loved one, or loved ones, their first journey was to Peggy's Cove. We needed to meet their needs at the airport, the hotel, and the crash site. Every person has special needs, and each need must be met." Murielle Provost
Helen & Larry Siebert - from Missouri
Email: HlnSiebert@aol.com (573) 635-1488
Helen and Larry Siebert lost their daughters Chrisha and
Brenna, plus their niece and her husband, Stephanie & Dan Gaetke on TWA 800. Helen is retiring from a career with an insurance company, as Supervisor in Risk Management. Larry continues to work in commercial real estate.
"Put me to work! I look forward to working with NADA/F members and I know that we will make a difference. We came out of a dark hole, and I want to show others that they can continue to live after a terrible situation. I could not have "come back" after losing our girls without friendship and peer support. I look forward to returning the favor and helping others." Helen Siebert
"I decided that the best way to honor our daughters would be to put aside any bitterness and to help others." Larry Siebert
Joanne Steen - from Virginia
Jmsteen@pilot.infi.net (757) 499-2356
Joanne's BS in Industrial Engineering, from Rutgers, led to a position with the U.S. Navy teaching Total Quality Leadership and Systems Theory. Thus developed her leadership and management skills.
Along the way, she became a very young widow when her husband, a Lt. In the U.S. Navy, was killed in an RH-53 Sikorsky helicopter crash. Joanne found herself very involved technically in the air crash investigation.
On the 5th memorial, at a military memorial dedication, Joanne delivered the speech of her life. She knew she had to go in a different direction because of her life experiences, and is now pursuing a graduate degree in psychology and counseling. For years she has worked with Navy widows, and is also a facilitator for a peer grief-counseling group for children.
As we write, she is working with the widows in VA who lost their spouses in the recent Air National Guard crash in GA.
"At the technical briefings we should know that if the person asks the question, that means they are ready for the answer, and we need to give honest answers.
At memorial services sometimes there is no proof of death, and families need to be able to personalize a memorial with things special to them and their loved ones.
Someone recently said that I looked 'normal' and that gave her hope that she could carry on. Because each air disaster is so unique, we bring a collective experience toward helping others in the future." Joanne M. Steen
http://www.PlaneSafe.org
Take a look at our website for updates!
NEW! HEADLINES. Click on Headlines for daily Aviation News Updates. This is an easy way to see if your area of interest is "In the News." Also may give you an idea about a Letter to the Editor!
NEWS - Click on RECEIVE AVIATION NEWS. You can automatically receive Press Releases from the FAA and NTSB, and much more. Our website will take you directly to the links where you can register to receive those updates.
BOOKS - Updates on books of interest to our members.
DISCUSSION GROUP - Place a posting if you are looking for others from your crash, or use the Discussion Groups as a place to share your ideas with others!
Friday, May 11, 2001 - ValuJet 592 -
5th Memorial - Everglades, FL
If you would like to help with the planning please call any of the following NADA/F Board Members: Susan Smith (817)
370-4644, Carole Rietz (615) 591-5361, or Lee and Laura Sawyer (305)
662-1646.
International Members Remember
Delta's Comair flight 3272, January 9, 1997.
Special Thanks to the Bransford's who will run
the London Marathon to raise awareness for NADA/F…
"On April 22nd 2001, Gretchen and I will be running the London Marathon! We are running to raise awareness and financial support for the National Air Disaster Alliance/Foundation (NADA/F).
We are running in memory of my father, Roger Bransford, who died on the Delta Comair flight 3272 crash near Detroit, Michigan on January 9, 1997. Our hope is to help advance airline safety so that others never experience such a loss.
Gretchen and I are excited about the Big Run; even Henry has logged his share of miles in the baby jogger! Our goal is to finish the marathon, and help NADA/F to achieve their goal of advancing airline safety. We are, therefore, very grateful for your support. Tax-deductible contributions can be made to National Air Disaster Foundation."
For more information on the marathon, check:
www.london-marathon.co.uk
Thanks and Best Wishes!
Mike, Gretchen and Henry Bransford
23B Hornton Street
London W8 7NR, England
011-44-20-7867-3995 - phone
Email: michael_bransford@ml.com
Family Support Team - FST…
We had a terrific group of members attend the February NOVA training. Despite the blizzard we had a fun "last night" dinner, and used that limited time together to talk about NADA/F Family Support Team. Each person from our diverse international group brought special skills and experiences to the training. Thank you, it was great to be together!
We believe that NADA/F FST members can relate to others after an air disaster, and provide positive support during a very difficult time. NADA/F has been approached about providing volunteers to offer direct support for victims' families after an air crash. In response to these requests, we are preparing to fill a unique gap in assistance in this time of extreme need. Our role will be Support for Survivors and victims' Families. The airline or organization requesting our assistance will cover transportation and accommodations, and we will report to them. NADA/F and all professional organizations are opposed to spontaneous volunteers. That is why it is important that we organize Family Support Team
(FST) before we are called.
It is critical to remember that survivors and family members are normal people, having normal reactions to an abnormal event. NADA/F FST volunteers share a unique bond. We are now ready to pool our experiences and the strength we have shown, and put them to work.
NADA/F Board Members and those trained for FST have agreed on general guidelines, and we look forward to sending you more information if you think you would like to volunteer.
Our goal is to ensure that survivors and victims' families have their short and
long-term needs met after an aviation disaster. The emphasis must be for the survivors to relate what is happening to them. Our experiences will help validate that what they are feeling is very normal. We know that how people are treated initially after a crash determines their future recovery. FST members will offer no counseling, spiritual guidance, or legal advice. We are not licensed to do those things. FST will work with others who may be providing some of those services at the site. We are offering to help as Escorts at the crash site, and also offer help for home-based family members who do not go to the crash site. So there may be opportunities to help close to your own home, or at a crash site far away.
Confidentiality is a critically important part of the Family Assistance Act of 1996 (which NADA/F wrote, promoted and passed working with others), and we will maintain privacy and confidentiality for the family members and FST volunteers.
The following lists some of the many opportunities for basic Crisis Response Team training, classes from two days to one week. We will advise of other training when the information is shared with us. If you learn of local crisis response training in your area please let us know. Also, watch the NADA/F website for Updates and more Opportunities for Training.
If you are interested in Family
Support Team, let us know so that we can send out additional information!
Barb Skudlarick MazamaJoe@cs.com (360)
371-4108
Joan Pontante Japontante@juno.com (315)
593-3279
Helen Siebert HlnSiebert@aol.com (573)
635-1488
Janice Watson janwatson@yahoo.com
OPPORTUNITIES FOR CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM TRAINING
for VOLUNTEERS in NADA/F's FAMILY SUPPORT TEAM - FST
NOVA * National Organization for Victim Assistance
For 25 years NOVA has offered services and training for victims of crime and other crises. Their one week training includes: Crisis Reactions, Acute Stress Factors,
Short-Term and Long-Term Reactions, Crisis Intervention and Death Notification, Cultural Perspectives, Age Perspectives from child to elder responses, Case Studies, Stress Reaction of Caregivers, and much more.
Next NOVA training: June 11-15, 2001, at Boulder CO, for $300. Participants will pay for their own accommodations. For more information call NOVA directly: (202)
232-6682.
Check the NOVA website for additional training opportunities: http://www.try-nova.org
AMERICAN RED CROSS
The Red Cross has hundreds of chapters in the U.S. with a wide range of crisis response training programs from Introduction to Disaster, ARC 3066, to more in depth classes, depending on the size and location of each Red Cross Center. Some offer aviation disaster classes, however, to participate in the ARC air disaster teams the Red Cross requires certified mental health professionals, or clergy. However, Red Cross training may prepare you to participate in the NADA/F Family Support Team. You may want to check with a number of Red Cross offices in your area to see if the training opportunities will help you.
C.E.R.T. Community Emergency Response Team - Sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) and conducted at many community locations throughout the U.S. by the local Fire Rescue Services. The C.E.R.T program is designed to focus on hurricanes, flooding and other major emergencies, and some classes may focus on disasters that occur in a particular geographical location. Training is free or very low cost, and provides basic emergency response information that could be helpful to participate in the NADA/F Family Support Team. For more information check with your local
Fire-Rescue offices, by calling their non-emergency telephone number. Information also available on the Internet:
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/ or go directly to
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/pocs/pocs.htm
INTERNATIONAL CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS FOUNDATION, Inc. - ICISF
ICISF is a non-profit, open membership foundation dedicated to the prevention and mitigation of disabling stress through education, training, and support services.
They work with Crisis and Disaster Response Programs with local communities and worldwide.
April 18-22, 2001 -Wyndham Hotel at the Inner Harbor, Baltimore, Maryland.
Sixth World Congress on Stress, Trauma and Coping:
"Crisis Intervention: Lessons Learned… Challenges for the Future."
This is a very extensive conference including sessions on Terrorism, Disasters, School Shooting Crisis, Emergency Services and Enhancing Peer Support, Aviation Day, (Thursday, April 19th), Innovations in Treatment, Prevention of Post Traumatic Stress Disorders, and much more.
Registration costs for the World Conference are $335 ? $435, plus travel and accommodations.
You may participate in the regional ICISF Training for two days or four days, so the training costs can vary from $161 to $284, depending on the classes offered, and the classes that you would like to take. Classes that would be the most applicable to Family Support Team would be:
- Critical Incident Stress Management
(CISM) Basic Group Crisis Intervention
- Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Crisis Intervention and Peer Support, and
- Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Advanced Group Crisis Intervention.
If you have questions please call the phone numbers listed, or call ICISF in Baltimore at the number listed below. Barb Skudlarick, FST Director, is also familiar with the ICISF training.
ICISF's Training Calendar for 2001 includes the following:
May 17-20, 2001: Cedar Rapids IA (319)
396-2616 - Costs $161 to $284
May 31 - June 3, 2001 Albany NY (518) 474-2578 - Contact Joe Leviness
June 13-16, 2001 Seattle WA (253)
460-4486 - Contact Ron Quinsey
June 28-July 1, 2001 Las Vegas NV
In association with: Southern Nevada Critical Incident Stress Management Network:
Contact Brenda Donoho (702) 229-0359, or Kenny O'Rourke (702) 809-4509.
$161-$284
Email: conference2001@sncismn.com
July 12-15, 2001 Woodbridge NJ (856)
692-8038 - Contact Roland Kandle
August 23-26, 2001 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
September 20-23, 2001 Birmingham AL
October 18-21, 2001 Olathe KS
November 1-4, 2001 Houston TX
November 29-December 2, 2001 San Diego CA (619)
594-6255
For more information visit the website:
http://www.icisf.org/ or http://www.icisf.org/dates.htm
Email to scohen@icisf.org
International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc.
10176 Baltimore National Pike, Unit 201, Baltimore MD 21042
(410) 750-9600-phone - (410) 750-9601-fax
NADA/F Comments to the FAA - February 7, 2001 Washington DC - Presented by Tom O'Mara, MBA NADA/F Board Member
There are 535 Members of Congress who write laws for 260 million Americans, and less than 100 ARAC members who propose safety rules governing planes and airports for nearly a billion passengers per year, by 2010. The flying public is depending on the FAA ARAC to get it right.
I'm an alternate to the ARAC Executive Committee, representing the NATIONAL AIR DISASTER ALLIANCE/ FOUNDATION. I attended my first ARAC in 1992, on behalf of ACAP. I'm here because my only child died at Sioux City in 1989, when a DC-10 crashed. One hundred twelve died. One hundred eighty four lived.
Heather was 24-years old, a graduate of Tulane Law School, member of the New Jersey Bar, and a Captain in the U.S. Army Jag. Corps., serving at Fort Collins, Colorado at the time of her death. She was found on the tarmac. Her seat had ripped away from the floor, and she flew through one of three hull breaches, as that DC-10 tumbled down the runway.
Before her death I was a corporate guy, working in sales management at "The Wall Street Journal." I was a proud father. I was confident that FAA would not allow Heather to board a plane with a known fatal defect.
I joined in the ARAC process because of a headline in "The Wall Street Journal." The headline appeared just two days after Heather was killed. The headline referred to an "Achilles Heel" on the DC-10. That was the first time I ever considered that the aviation industry or its regulator might cut corners on safety, might not fix fatal flaws on their aircraft. Pretty naïve, wasn't
I?
I met families from other plane crashes. And, I'm sorry to say that I learned what we all know -- there are fixable fatal flaws on commercial jets that are not fixed when industry advocates say, " It's too costly."
Here's what the families of air disasters asked me to convey to you this morning:
We understand that accidents happen. We know that 40,000 have perished on commercial plane crashes since 1960, roughly 1,000 deaths per year. We know this is a low number, compared to the number of those killed by cars, guns, and heart attacks. We understand that America averages one fatal plane crash every day in the U.S. - and this does not include military or foreign crashes.
However, we don't accept that NTSB "recommendations" should be ignored by FAA or the industry, for years, even decades.
For instance, if FAA had listened to the Safety Board in 1988, a year before Heather died, ValuJet would not have crashed in the Florida Everglades in 1996, killing 110 passengers and
crewmembers.
If FAA or Douglas had fixed all the fatal flaws facing
DC-10 passengers after that first crash at Orly, France in 1974, Heather and 110 others would not have been killed at Sioux City. Why? The Turkish Air DC-10 crashed at Orly due to total loss of hydraulic power. The door popped open,
the floor buckled, and the hydraulic lines under the floor snapped -- precious, life giving hydraulic fluids were pumped out of the lines. All died.
The "Achilles Heel" of the DC-10 was the routing of all three hydraulic lines on the same side of the plane.
If ARAC or Douglas had put hydraulic lines, all three independent systems, in three separate places of the plane after Orly, Captain Al Haynes would not have faced the same "total hydraulic power loss" 15 years later, when one of three engines on his DC-10 "let go."
There are other examples. Please remember that ARAC members can prevent families from getting mugged twice when a plane crashes. The first mugging is the crash. The second mugging is discovering that that their loved ones didn't have to die.
Our members offer two suggestions for safer skies.
1) FAA should require ALL NTSB recommendations, published as part of a final accident report, be Deployed within 18 months. Sooner would be fine. We know the industry feels this may be a Draconian measure, not needed, too expensive, too difficult, etc. We've heard it all. Think about it. That's all we ask.
2) We ask you to use the influence of your companies to get Congress to create a "SAFETY FIX TRUST FUND." This "Fix" fund would be used to deploy NTSB recommendations. A charge of $1 per ticket, issued in the U.S., means that nearly $1 Billion a year could be harvested for this purpose by 2005, and beyond.
We suggest the "Safety Fix Fund" be managed by someone outside of Aviation - Jim Hall, Mary Schiavo, or Jim Burnett come to mind. We don't want the "Safety Fix Fund" used to balance the nation's books like the Aviation Trust Fund has been used on occasion.
These two actions by FAA and industry would sooth the souls of those of us who mourn the loss of loved ones killed in "predictable, foreseeable, and preventable" plane crashes. The families wanted me to remind you, that only chance puts us in our shoes, and you in yours. We've seen what happens when "proven dangers" aren't fixed in a speedy and timely fashion. As you conduct your ARAC debates on safety, the families ask that you remember, "No one should have to learn their loved one perished because a plane had an 'Achilles Heel.'" You or someone you love is not expendable.
There is much to do. As Norman Mineta warned in 1997:
"Worldwide flights are expected to increase from 16 million this year to over 25 million by 2010. If the current accident rate is extrapolated over that traffic level, the number of accidents can be expected to climb to a point where there is a large jet aircraft crash every 7 to 10 days somewhere in the world."
( Source: Section 111-6, National Civil Aviation Review Commission, Norman Mineta, Chair, December 1997.)
Let's hope ARAC can be the dike that holds back the Sea of Sorrow that Secretary of Transportation Mineta predicted 4 years ago for air travel in 2010. Thank you.
Tom O'Mara
The Feb. 7th FAA meeting was the first full membership meeting in many years, and represented all of the organizations, including NADA/F, that are part of the FAA ARAC
(Aviation Rule Making Advisory Committees).
We know that our members appreciate Tom O'Mara's comments on our behalf to the FAA ARAC membership. Email to:
TomOMara@progworks.net
NADA/F Representatives - FAA Meeting February 7th.
Gail Dunham, Tom O'Mara, FAA ARAC Executive Committee Alternate, Matt Ziemkiewicz, NADA/F Representative on Emergency Evacuation Issue Group, (recently re-named Occupant Safety Issue Group), Jim Hurd, Fuel Tank Inerting and Emergency Evacuation.
Special thanks to all the NADA/F representatives on the FAA ARAC committees who generously give their time, and cover their own transportation expenses, so that the family members and the traveling public have a voice for air safety in the FAA ARAC process!
NADA/F Board Members for 2001…
The nine-member Board, and the Board Member Liaisons are voted for by the general membership at the Annual Meeting. The following are members of the Nominating Committee for Board Member recommendations for 2001. If you would like to serve as a Board Member, or help in any way please contact any of the following: Lanita Hausman,
Lhaus1963@aol.com (816)
333-3766, Jeff Josefson jeffjosefson1@juno.com (401) 885?2039, Tom O'Mara
TomOMara@progworks.net (651)
408-8310, or Janice Watson janwatson@yahoo.com (561)
362-5888.
NADA/F Awards at the Annual Meeting…
We will be presenting three awards at the Annual Meeting, Sept 29-30, 2001. If you would like to make nominations for the awards please send us your recommendation in writing. Awards will include: Air Safety Award, Journalism Award and a NEW Broadcast Journalism Award.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR! Annual Meeting…
September 29-30, 2001 - Washington DC - area
DoubleTree Hotel, Pentagon City, just a block away from last year's meeting.
Call (703) 416-4100 for the special NADA/F rate of only $99 per night.
The DoubleTree is an excellent full service hotel, and we are excited about the facilities for our members. The meeting will be held Saturday and Sunday, and we may have optional government meetings on Friday or Monday. We will let you know about the optional meetings when we have the information. We will offer lunch, and a special Saturday evening dinner with Guest Speaker(s) at the rooftop dining room for NADA/F meeting guests only.
Free Registration to the Annual Meeting for those who have a Letter to the Editor Published! Hopefully you will mention that you are a member of the National Air Disaster Alliance, or possibly sign off with your name and: "Member www.PlaneSafe.org"
Letters to the Editor are one of the most effective ways to reach people. A list of the 200 largest newspapers in the U.S., listed by size of circulation, is for your use on our website under NEWS and LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
Try and keep your letters short and also send them to your hometown newspapers. Be sure and sign the letters and include your name, address, and telephone number so that the newspapers can verify that the letter was from you. Usually the papers just publish the name, or the name plus your city and state. Newspapers will not publish anonymous letters; however, you may ask them to not use your name, or use your initials, or name and hometown. If your letter is published please forward a copy for NADA/F files.
This can also be a way to connect with others from a recent crash, or one long ago. See you in the News!
Gail Dunham
(PS I read a letter to the editor published in "USA Today" about five years ago, and I called the signer, 'Tom O'Mara, Reno, NV,' and we have been friends ever since.)
Special Thanks to the following who had Letters to the Editor published during 2001!
Michael Luque, regarding Alaska 261
Janice Watson, "Boca Raton News," re: ValuJet
Tom O'Mara, re: the Univ. of Oklahoma students
Thank You!
Thank you very much for your generous donations to match my 2001 Challenge Grant of $2,000! Your matching gifts helped us to raise $14,000… a big boost to our operating budget for this year!
As we grow larger and reach out to more people, our costs to communicate, educate, and advocate rise, but our achievements do too. Together, we ARE making a difference. Thank you!
Janice Watson
Thank you to Jim and Janice Watson (NADA/F Vice President) for
sponsoring our Newsletter in Memory of their daughter Jill.
There are many ways people remember our daughter, Jill Watson: her vitality, her creativity, her passion for art and architecture, and her excitement about visiting France, where she lived as a child.
Jill was 32 years old and one of the 230 people who perished aboard TWA Flight 800 when it exploded on July 17, 1996, off of Long Island, on its way to Paris. At the time, Jill was a partner in an architectural firm in Pittsburgh and was working on another degree, Fine Arts, at Carnegie Mellon University, where she served as an adjunct professor of architecture.
Jill was accomplished, creative, an intense thinker. She was named as one of the outstanding women architects in Pennsylvania in 1990, her projects included some notable buildings in Pittsburgh, and she received an historic preservation award by the Mayor of Pittsburgh just two months before her death. Jill was in the process of co-writing a book called "The Incomplete," when her life ended.
Each September, Jill is remembered at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh with the Jill Watson Festival Across the Arts, aka "Wats:on?" This year's event will be held from September 19 - 21 and is open to the public.
Janice and Jim Watson
