Stephan Hittman Chief Executive Officer 9/11 Foundation, Honorary Commissioner New York Fire Department
Guest Speaker at the Grand Opening of the Church of Scientology New York
Thank you so very much.
It is my very great pleasure to be with you today and take part in this wonderful Grand Opening celebration.
From my position at the 9/11 Foundation, I have the privilege of working with fire fighters worldwide, both learning from their experience and sharing our own. Among the experiences I’ll never forget, is the day I first came to know the Volunteer Ministers of the Church of Scientology.
September 11th was the worst of times and the worst of places. But there you were: bright, sincere and incredibly effective. As a matter of fact — and I am by no means the only one who will tell you this — we could not have carried on without the Volunteer Ministers of the Church of Scientology and the work that you did at Ground Zero. It was your organizational skills on the supply lines, your unwavering mental and spiritual support, the way you simply communicated with us — you were — for so many of us — the only ray of sunshine during those terrible days.
And so, on behalf of FDNY’s 16,000 Firefighters, paramedics, our thousands of emergency workers and on behalf of each and every one of the 8 million citizens that make up this great city, it’s my honor to present you with something that symbolizes the respect and the admiration for the Volunteer Ministers of the Church of Scientology who, at Ground Zero and every day since, have given us a gift that keeps on giving. With that in mind, we proudly present you with the FDNY and 911 Medal of Valor.
Let me read just a few lines from this proclamation:
"In recognition of the humanitarian efforts of the Volunteer Ministers of the Church of Scientology, and the help they provided to members of the Fire Department of the City of New York, in keeping with the principles developed by L. Ron Hubbard; and
"WHEREAS: FDNY and the 911 PROGRAM recognize this unwavering commitment to firefighters, to paramedics, to other rescue workers, in keeping with our proudest traditions; and be it known,
"THEREFORE: That FDNY and the 911 PROGRAM officially recognize this dedicated service to the citizens of the City of New York, and hereby bestow upon L. Ron Hubbard and the Volunteer Ministers of the Church of Scientology, the FDNY and the 911 PROGRAM's Medal of Valor and 9–11 Service Award — on the occasion of the Grand Opening of the New York Church of Scientology."
Thank you very much.
