September 16, 2019

Jeannie Daleure, project accountant manager in Charlotte, North Carolina, found a wonderful way of using her Balfour Beatty volunteer day. She had the honor of volunteering her time for the F.F. Steven Coakley Foundation was named after a firefighter who lost his life after the 9/11 attacks. 

The charter of the foundation is to provide educational scholarships and donate funds/equipment to local emergency services to increase the safety of the public and first responders. The foundation hosts an annual memorial weekend to honor all those lost on 9/11 including firefighter Steven Coakley with the Fire Department New York City (FDNY) engine 217.

Steven Coakley's sister runs the organization and every year before the anniversary of 9/11 they put Flags of Remembrance on display in downtown Charlotte.

Volunteers, including Jeannie, placed over 3,000 flags in the shape of the World Trade Center in Romare Bearden Park. After the flags were in place, they attached the name and picture of every life lost on 9/11 (both towers, flights 93, 175, 77, and 11, Pentagon, NYPD, and FDNY), so WE NEVER FORGET. 

Jeannie shared about the humbling and emotional experience, "I met two Individuals that lost their brothers on 9/11, both who worked for the FDNY, there was also a piece of steel from one of the towers on display, adding to the reverence of the day. I was humbled and honored to stand with my fellow human beings and create a place of reflection and honor for all of Charlotte to experience."