Tourism Industry Mobilizes To 'Give Back' With Clean Up Of Ellis Island
Published 06-09-03
Submitted by Travelers Conservation Foundation
WHAT: More than 300 members of the tourism industry will gather at Ellis Island to rake, shovel, paint and clean one of America's most visible landmarks as part of the first annual national project of the Travelers Conservation Foundation's Tourism - Caring for America program. The program was founded to preserve, conserve and protect America's tourism related sites that are in need of care, clean up and rejuvenation.
WHEN: Friday, June 13
9:30 a.m. - Opening Ceremonies at Immigration Museum - Ellis Island
10 a.m.-3 p.m. - Ellis Island Cleanup
WHERE: Ellis Island
WHO: Bruce Beckham, Executive Director, Travelers Conservation Foundation
Historian available to discuss Ellis Island
Available for interviews in-studio or the day of the event at Ellis Island
WHY:
Responding to President Bush's call to every citizen to volunteer 4000 hours in their lifetime to give back to their community and their country -- a very important objective of Tourism - Caring for America.
Ellis Island is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. While the Immigration Museum and the landmark Ferry Building have been restored, conditions on the rest of the site are deplorable. The south side of the island, mostly composed of hospital and housing buildings, needs to be restored. The Save Ellis Island Foundation, a partner in this project, is meeting that challenge. However, due to budget constraints, the National Park Service, which manages both Liberty and Ellis Islands, is unable to maintain conditions on much of this land where immigrants received their first
introduction to America.
The Ellis Island project will be the model for a nationwide series of conservation projects sponsored by the Travelers Conservation Foundation under the Tourism - Caring for America banner. The mission of Tourism - Caring for America is to bring the tourism industry together to work, network and give back, all at the same time, while demonstrating the size and economic impact of the tourism industry to the public, governments, park services and its own workforce.
TO ARRANGE INTERVIEWS, TRANSPORTATION TO THE ISLAND, AND OBTAIN PRESS CREDENTIALS, PLEASE CONTACT:
Victoria Martinez
212-704-8154
victoria.martinez@edelman.com
Jen Elving
312-240-2813
Jennifer.elving@edelman.com