September 11 was one of the most impactful events to take place in our nation’s recent history, and most likely will receive annual tribute and reflection. By providing a forum for Sunnyvale citizens to mark the first anniversary this year, the community can acknowledge its loss, while focusing on the healing events and community outreach that they have experienced this past year. This can help provide a sense of continuity and connection, and also serve as an opportunity to highlight the more positive outcomes of what has transpired in people’s lives despite this tragedy.

Suggested components for an event this year may include:

*We could send out a request to the community through newspaper ads, posters, and other venues asking: What has occurred in the past year to help you gain a better sense of community? Please give personal accounts of actions you took to better support the community (locally and/or nationally), activities you participated in that helped to heal and regenerate, what you feel the future holds for the community and the country.

Based on the responses, we would select particularly significant individuals to speak at the event. We could print these responses and others in appropriate periodicals and share them with the media. We could also produce a commemorative multi-paged brochure which highlights these and other stories with photos that we can give to the community.

We might also consider dedicating something special (something useful, not a plaque) to the City as a tribute for those who gave their lives last year, or provide something meaningful for those directly affected by the event in the community, nationally, or abroad, to help show that the needs are ongoing from a year ago. This could be focused on children, in particular.

These might include: some educational assistance for children impacted by the September 11 event nationally or overseas such as books, supplies, computers, etc,) or holding a special event for Sunnyvale children that includes diversity/tolerance education with fun activities for them to experience together, or other options.

In order to further plan and implement the event based on these or other components the Council may wish to include, the Council could designate that Staff put the event together or select another group to do this.

Schedule
Because of a short time frame of just over four weeks prior to the event, it is important that all of the pre-event activities such as notification, photos, ads, lining up of speakers, music groups, rentals, etc. be handled immediately.

Other options might include:

• Combining efforts with other local cities to co-sponsor an event.
• Combining efforts and co-sponsoring with other community groups.
• Not having an event, but doing a special September 11 commemorative booklet with inspirational stories from local residents to be distributed throughout the City.
• Not having an event, but raising awareness of ongoing needs of the local, national, and international communities affected by September 11 through media and other outreach, and suggesting channels through which the community can contribute.
• Work in conjunction with local businesses, civic groups, schools, etc. to dedicate something needed by the Public Safety Department.

The estimated costs of event components include: