23 Sep Ceremonies of September, 2020
The week of September 7th was a special and important week at FMP. We had the distinct honor in coordinating two extremely important and significant ceremonies.
Boston Police Memorial
On Tuesday, September 8th, the Boston Police Foundation and the Boston Police Department held a ceremony to unveil a brand-new memorial. The memorial, which is located at the Boston Police Department headquarters, highlights 13 badges, representing 13 Boston police officers who have taken their own lives over the past 25 years. This memorial is the very first in the nation; recognizing, remembering and honoring Police Officers who have died by suicide. The ceremony was attended by the family members of the remembered police officers as they were finally recognized for their service and sacrifice.
The Boston Police Foundation and Boston Police Department have to primary objectives for this memorial. The first is to honor and remember the brave Men and Women of the Boston Police Department who have tragically taken their own lives due, in part to the trials and tribulations of the job. Secondly, to raise awareness to these issues in hopes that Officers seek treatment when needed, resulting in us not needing to add another badge to the memorial in the future. We are proud to work with both organizations in launching this vital memorial and awareness campaign.
Massachusetts 9/11 Fund 19th Annual Commemoration
On Friday, September 11th, the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund held their annual Massachusetts September 11th Commemoration. The commemoration, which typically is held in person, honors and remembers those who died during the events of September 11th and had Massachusetts ties. While transitioning many of our events, we knew this was one that could not be postponed or cancelled.
We assisted the fund in turning the commemoration into a virtual event, which included pre-recorded and live segments. This process involved coordinating with Governor Charles Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Attorney General Maura Healey, Speaker of the House of Representatives Robert DeLeo, Mayor Marty Walsh, Boston Police Commissioner William Gross, our guest speakers Karin Charles, Pat Hoban, Christie Coombs, the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund Advisory Board and all of our participating members to ensure that this event held its tradition and remembered those lost in the most honorable way possible through a virtual platform. To successfully and safely host this event, we pre-recorded as many portions as possible. However, there were a few parts of the ceremony that must be done live to properly honor those we lost. The Flag lowering ceremony and moment of silence sections of the ceremony were livestreamed from the State House Steps, where the ceremony traditionally takes place.
Consistently in our line of work, we are reminded of the impact our clients have on the population they serve. The week of September 7th, 2020 allowed our entire staff the opportunity step back from everything that is and has been 2020 and participate in two incredible ceremonies. These ceremonies are a reminder of the importance of honoring traditions and honoring those we have lost and FMP is proud to have been a part in doing so.