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By KASIA KOPEC [email protected]
Thursday, April 29, 2004 Page: 3A
WILKES-BARRE – Three local health care companies have teamed up to sponsor
Healing Field, the city’s Sept. 11 memorial.
Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Wyoming Valley Health Care System
and Erwine’s Home Health Care are donating a total of $70,000.
The donation will be used to offset city expenses, including more than
$60,000 spent to purchase more than 4,000 flags.
The flags, representing victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, will be
displayed at Kirby Park May 15-31.
In addition, the donation will mean more funds raised for area non-profit
organizations, including the Osterhout Free Library, and spouses and
dependents of members of the 109th Field Artillery serving in Iraq and Kuwait.
Bill Reed, Blue Cross chief operating officer, said the companies wanted to
get involved because they share a common aim with Healing Field.
“We believe in our city and are committed to its healing – health healing,
economic healing and community healing,” said Reed, during a Wednesday
morning press conference at Kirby Park.
Reed spearheaded the sponsorship effort, recruiting Erwine’s Home Health
Care and Wyoming Valley Health Care System, said Mayor Tom Leighton, who
expressed his gratitude to all three organizations.
“This is a great tribute and it shows the kind of cooperation we have been
getting from the city’s corporations,” Leighton said.
Mary Erwine of Erwine’s Home Health Care said she is honored to be a part
of the effort. “We’re so proud to be a part of this show of support for our
soldiers fighting the war on terrorism and those who lost their lives on Sept.
11.”
Kasia Kopec, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 970-7436.
HOW TO BUY A FLAG
All flags used for the Healing Field memorial will be for sale, with
proceeds benefiting the Osterhout Free Library, local veterans groups,
community organizations and Wilkes-Barre’s emergency services departments. The
3-by-5-foot flags cost $30 and come with an 8-foot flag pole. Flags also will
be available by calling city Administrator J.J. Murphy at 821-1170 or by
visiting the Healing Field Web site at www.healingfield.org/wilkes-barre