As people entered the Bowery Hotel for Answer the Call’s Fourth Annual Red & Blue Soiree, there was one thing that was on everyone’s mind — helping the survivors and family members of fallen FDNY and NYPD members that helped the city during September 11th.
Celebrities, athletes and fashion icons converged at the trendy hotel, including Saturday Night Live’s Pete Davidson and Colin Jost and New York Rangers legend Mark Messier. The much-anticipated event raised nearly $115,000 for the families of New York City firefighters, police officers and emergency medical service workers killed in the line of duty.
“The firemen and police are rescuing others and it is important for them to know that people will support their children, wives and husbands,” Jost said. The SNL star comes from a family dedicated to the FDNY, including his mother who has been an FDNY Medical Responder for the past 35 years. “I am proud to be here every year because my family has been in the fire department, my mom still works at the fire department, so it is a very special cause to me.”
Throughout the night, attendees enjoyed cocktails, passed food and music, and also participated in a silent auction. Even though it was a night of celebration, the memory of loved ones were still being honored.
“Well, I think like many other New Yorkers, I feel a responsibility to provide the emotional and finical support to these great people who survived in 9/11 and their families too,” New York Rangers Legend Mark Messier said. “New York never stops giving and New York always answers the call and this evening and this charity is something special.”
Aside from all the music, food and drinks, there is one thing that Messier looked forward to. “To give back to New Yorkers, it is our responsibility to honor those who lost their lives and remember them,” he said. “This is a great way to kick off the summer and remember the people who weren’t so fortunate on that day.”
Answer the Call helps the New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund, which provides assistance to the families of New York City Police officers, firefighters, Port Authority police and EMS personnel who have been killed in the line of duty. Since its inception in 1985 by Daniel J. “Rusty” Staub, the charity has distributed over $130 million to hundreds of families. The Benefit Fund provides immediate and ongoing financial assistance in the form of annual distributions to grieving families after they lose their loved one. In addition, the Benefit Fund provides an ongoing network of support and gatherings for these families to cope and connect after such tragedy. The Benefit Fund serves approximately 600 families, and the goal is to provide meaningful assistance to the beneficiaries for the rest of their lives.
TwistedTalk: Have you supported Answer the Call? Why do you think New Yorkers are always looking to lend a hand? Discuss below!
