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“This quilt is dedicated to thosewho lost their lives in the OklahomaCity Alfred P. Murrah Federal Build-ing bombing, as well as to their fami-lies. It is also dedicated to thesurvivors and the rescue workers.My heart goes out to every one ofyou. This is my way of showing mysorrow for what happened on thattragic day. I will never forget. Tothe families, I hope this brings somecomfort to your hearts. I know wewill never know the pain you haveendured. "

ne name of each of the 168 vic-tim is written o n each flower.

Robin gave the quilt to Com-missioner Chater, who, duringher trip to Oklahoma City for amemorial service, presented it tothe mayor. The quilt will be dis-played in a museum that will bebuilt on the site where the Mur-rah building once stood.

SSA employees will never for-get that tragic day They remem-bered the first anniversary of theApril 19 bombing in a variety ofways.

"During April, cards and flow-ers from SSAers across the coun-

try arrived at our office,‘”said Oklahoma City Assis-tant District ManagerDennis Purifoy. “Our staffremembered our lost co-workers throughout theweek. On April 16, severalsurvivors and family mem-bers of victims laid a wreathat the Murrah federal build-ing.

“On the 18th, we planteda redbud tree, which wasdonated by the FeatherRiver, C&f., DO. And each lostemployee was recognized duringa ‘time for remembrance’ cere-mony at the DO. CommissionerChater joined us later that dayand met with survivors andvictims’ families,

“At 9:02 a.m. on April 19,”Dennis continued, “the officeobserved 168 seconds of silence,while employees who survived

tive ceremony that bebomb site and ended at the con-vention center where Vice Presi-dent Gore spoke. CommissionerChater also attended this cere-mony”

Dennis noted that, to date,three employees are still onworker’s comp, three are onpart-time worker's comp, oneresigned, one took early retire-

OASIS 6 June/July 1996

ment, one received a promotionto another office, and five trans-ferred to other field offices to helprecover.

At the Blytheville, Ark., DistrictOffice, employees stood silentat 9:02 a.m. for 168 seconds toremember the people who diedin explosion. A memorial tableheld material about the bombing.

Photographs, news articles andthe names of the victims wereplaced in the waiting area of theMount Holly , N.J., Branch Office.Bach employee wore a yellow car-nation with ribbons of purple andblue. The names of SSA victimswere read by Operations Supervi-sor Edward Benedict, and staffand clients stood during 168 sec-onds of silence.

An ABC-TV news correspon-dent attended the observance andhad on-air interviews with mem-bers of the staff regarding theirfeelings about the tragedy

At SSA headquarters, employ-ees wore blue ribbons in tributeto the victims. A period of silencewas observed throughout thecomplex. During a remembranceceremony, employees joined SSAtop staff and union representa-tives as wreaths were laid at thememorial garden established forthe victims. o