Press Releases

Memorial Announces Schedule of Events for 13th Anniversary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 1, 2008

Contact: Nancy Coggins, APR
405.235.3313 or 405.760.9053
nc@oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org

Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
April 19, 2008 Calendar of Events

Annual Remembrance Ceremony
9 a.m.
We gather each year on the Outdoor Symbolic Memorial site to remember those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever by the April 19, 1995, bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation Chairman Burns Hargis, Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry and ABC Anchor Bob Woodruff will address the attendees. Music by Christian recording artist Jami Smith, 168 seconds of silence and a reading of the names will also be a part of the ceremony. The public is welcome.

MEDIA: A list of names in the order they will be read is available. Members of the media wishing to cover the ceremony need to be in place by 8:30 a.m. in a reserved media area at the Survivor Tree. Please e-mail nc@oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org with any special requests. Media credentials will be passed out Saturday morning. Satellite/Media truck parking should be along Robinson Ave. and should be coordinated through the OKC Traffic Department, at 297-2531.

National Media Symposium: Surviving Together with Bob and Lee Woodruff
11 a.m.
Following the Remembrance Ceremony, the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum will host its annual National Media Symposium, featuring ABC Anchor Bob Woodruff and his wife Lee, who will discuss Surviving Together. While covering the War on Terror in Iraq, Woodruff was critically injured when the unit with which he was embedded came under attack. This one-hour program will be moderated by Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation Chairman Burns Hargis, and broadcast locally by KOCO-TV Eyewitness News 5 in Oklahoma City. In January 2006, while reporting on U.S. and Iraqi security forces, Woodruff was seriously injured by a roadside bomb that struck his vehicle near Taji, Iraq. In an instant, his life was altered forever. The Woodruffs will recount those shattering moments when Bob believed his life was over, the bravery of the men and women who saved his life, his subsequent surgeries and the painful recovery he’s still undergoing. The Woodruffs will also discuss their new understanding of the fragility of life, the strength of family, and their struggle to overcome the most tragic of circumstances. This event is open to the public, but due to limited seating, tickets are required for admission. Call 405.235.3313 for information on reserving tickets.

BROADCAST MEDIA: This program will be broadcast locally on KOCO-TV and is available for ABC, CNN and Argyle Hearst affiliate broadcast through a feed from KOCO-TV. A direct feed will be available onsite for all broadcast outlets to pull b-roll through the KOCO-TV production truck.

Cox Communications Community Day – Free Memorial Museum admission
On this day, entry into the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum is free of charge, thanks to the generous support of Cox Communications. The Memorial Museum will open at 10 a.m., following the Remembrance Ceremony. Last entry into the museum is at 5 p.m.

National Park Service Public Programs
11:30 a.m., 1, 2:30, 4 and 6:15 p.m.
National Park Service Rangers will provide special interpretive talks on the Outdoor Symbolic Memorial for the public under the Survivor Tree. Between the Gates of Time and The Survivor Tree will be the featured topics for those talks.

Reporting Terrorism
Through December 31, 2008
When terrorism strikes, people around the world turn to the media for information. Reporting Terrorism, a special exhibit designed by the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, examines what it takes to report a crisis, and how Oklahoma City changed the way media responds. The exhibit goes beyond Oklahoma City to discuss the continuing coverage of terrorism and the effect new technologies have on how citizens receive the news as well as how journalists cover breaking news. Interviews with reporters bring to life their experiences and the impact those experiences have had on each reporter. Photos illustrate the fierce editorial debates about what is appropriate to print or broadcast. Artifacts, including broadcast equipment, scripts, correspondence between Timothy McVeigh and members of the media, reporters’ notebooks, and the helmet ABC Anchor Bob Woodruff was wearing when he was critically injured covering the War on Terror in Iraq will be on display.

Reflections of Hope Award Dinner
7 p.m.
The Reflections of Hope Award was created by the Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation to recognize those who find and, by their actions, exemplify hope in the midst of tragedy, respond selflessly and give of themselves to improve the lives of others. The award, in its fourth year, honors a living person or group whose extraordinary work has significantly impacted a community, state or nation. It also exemplifies that hope not only survives but also thrives in the wake of political violence. This year’s honoree is Carolina for Kibera, Inc., an organization whose mission is to fight abject poverty and prevent violence through community-based development in the Kibera slum of Narobi, Kenya. An inaugural award for lifetime achievement will be presented to Dom Tomás Balduíno for his work in helping the poor of Brazil. Bob Woodruff will be the keynote speaker. Tickets are available for $168 each by calling 405.235.3313.

MEDIA: Rye Barcott, founder of Carolina for Kibera, Inc., Executive Director Salim Mohamed from Kenya and Dom Tomás Balduíno will be in Oklahoma City on April 19. Please contact Nancy Coggins at 405.235.3313 or nc@oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org to schedule an interview time.

The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum was created to honor “those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever” by the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. The Memorial and Museum are dedicated to educating visitors about the impact of violence, informing about events surrounding the bombing, and inspiring hope and healing through lessons learned by those affected.

The Outdoor Symbolic Memorial is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is free of charge. The Memorial Museum is open Monday – Saturday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Sunday, 1-6p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors (62+) and $6 for students (5-college with valid ID). Children under 5 are admitted free. Group rates and programs are available. Special exhibits are included in the cost of admission. Ticket sales end at 5 p.m. daily. The Museum is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

For more information on the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, call (888) 542-HOPE or visit www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org.

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