FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 12, 2005
April 12, 2005
Jemarion Jones
(202) 639-6405
(202) 639-6405
AFGE to Hold Ribbon-Laying Ceremony During National Week of Hope
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Members of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) will honor federal workers killed in the Oklahoma City bombing during a ribbon-laying ceremony on Tuesday, April 19, the 10th anniversary of the tragedy. AFGE National President John Gage, along with AFGE members from various Oklahoma City locals, will pay tribute to those killed by laying yellow ribbons on the chairs erected at the bombing site to honor each of the 168 victims.
The ribbon-laying ceremony will begin at 11 a.m., and will immediately follow the Day of Remembrance, an event sponsored by the Oklahoma City National Memorial in which 168 seconds of silence will be observed along with the reading of the names of those who were killed. The Day of Remembrance is just one of several events that will take place during the National Week of Hope (NWH), April 17-24, a series of activities designed to educate individuals about the bombing, as well as to honor the victims, survivors and all others whose lives were affected by the tragedy.
AFGE members will be on hand throughout the week to volunteer for various NWH events. Additionally, AFGE representatives, including Gage, will distribute arm badges to federal workers bearing the slogan “AFGE Remembers” to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the bombing.
“Federal workers put their lives on the line by just coming to work each day,” said Gage. “This is just our small way of showing that we appreciate their sacrifice.”
AFGE represented many of the federal workers who were killed during the 1995 bombing including 16 workers from the Social Security office and 35 workers from the Housing and Urban Development office. Additionally, AFGE represented workers in the Department of Labor and GSA offices.
“Innocent men, women and children were killed during a senseless tragedy on April 19, 1995, and many of those lost were our brothers and sisters,” said Gage. “With this ceremony we hope to show that these workers will never be forgotten. We can’t do enough to honor the individuals whose lives were changed by what happened on April 19.”
The ribbon-laying ceremony will begin at 11 a.m., and will immediately follow the Day of Remembrance, an event sponsored by the Oklahoma City National Memorial in which 168 seconds of silence will be observed along with the reading of the names of those who were killed. The Day of Remembrance is just one of several events that will take place during the National Week of Hope (NWH), April 17-24, a series of activities designed to educate individuals about the bombing, as well as to honor the victims, survivors and all others whose lives were affected by the tragedy.
AFGE members will be on hand throughout the week to volunteer for various NWH events. Additionally, AFGE representatives, including Gage, will distribute arm badges to federal workers bearing the slogan “AFGE Remembers” to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the bombing.
“Federal workers put their lives on the line by just coming to work each day,” said Gage. “This is just our small way of showing that we appreciate their sacrifice.”
AFGE represented many of the federal workers who were killed during the 1995 bombing including 16 workers from the Social Security office and 35 workers from the Housing and Urban Development office. Additionally, AFGE represented workers in the Department of Labor and GSA offices.
“Innocent men, women and children were killed during a senseless tragedy on April 19, 1995, and many of those lost were our brothers and sisters,” said Gage. “With this ceremony we hope to show that these workers will never be forgotten. We can’t do enough to honor the individuals whose lives were changed by what happened on April 19.”
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