Organizational Thread

[lofter1]

I spoke with Brian Sahd at NYRP this morning to finalize the details for JB's plaque (NYRP had requested that we get the info in by today so that it could be ready for the May 13 planting day).

The text (not exactly sure of the style):

J. B. HEHMAN (TLOZ Link5) * 5.28.1985 - 4.4.2006

New York ...

Be to its virtues very kind,

but be to its faults a little blind.

Presented by the Friends & Community of www.wirednewyork.com

The NYRP folk remain impressed with what we've been able to achieve so far -- and continue to be very encouraging of our effort to memorialize JB.

Note: As I write this there are hundreds of thousands of people marching down Broadway -- their cheers are ringing through my ears and echoing off the walls downtown --

I can't help but think what a kick JB would have gotten out of this huge NYC parade of immigrants ...

[Libby]

I just haven't got another idea in my head. So, I'm opening it up to the project team. Now what?

This event has so many facets. It is obviously first and foremost a way to honor and communicate about JB's life and love for NYC. It is also about our new world of virtual relationships... Those of you on the forum have been touched by JB, his life and his death, even though many of you never met him. This event could have the ability to send a message of peace, working together for non-violence....for forgiveness and doing something positive to counter the violence that is still so prevelant in our world. I think of JB's own words on one of his WNY posts.."The damage can never be undone…but the passage of time always offers new possibilities for redemption." Redemption can come from this.

Yesterday I was thinking about documenting this event somehow. Getting some publicity around it. More than what you have already amazingly accomplished with newpaper articles etc. I wonder if someone would be interested in doing a documentary. I know a few people in NYC that might know someone. I know a woman here in Dallas that has won awards for her documentaries. What if NYU students would be interested in doing a documentary as a class project?

What do you think? Should we pursue something like this? I realize there is not much time.

Libby

[BrooklynRider]

I remain 100% committed to this project and would do anything to help us create an endowment, so JB's name could be forever attached to something positive in that community. JB has become entwined in my life. I want to give him a proper send-off from our community, whatever that might ultimately look like.

I started "all in" and I remain "all in." Sign me up for whatever it takes to get us to the top.

[lofter1]

Yesterday I was thinking about documenting this event somehow.

That could be a great idea.

I'm putting out some feelers ....

[Edward]

I mentioned earlier about sending mass email to all forum members. In addition, I have a separate email list of subscribers to Wired New York newletter (with last newsletter from July 2005). If someone can put together the newsletter, I can send it out. It should, in my opinion, be
> Not too long, shorter than the press release
> Have a brief description of the issue, with link to forum thread
> Have a request for donations and a link to wirednewyork.com/jb/memorial/ page that has instructions for donations
> Inform of the upcoming event in Maggie's Garden and has instructions for people who would like to volunteer

[BrooklynRider]

My contact for the banners needed to move immediately. I had to rely on my limited skills to get us to where we needed to be. The banners for the service day are attached below. I tried to stay true to Jasonik's original design, but incorporated a quote that might also inspire folks passing by the project. Lofter1 and I discussed flipping the heading, so JB's name would be on top and our names on the bottom. The other banner for WiredNewYork is something thrown together. It should work for our purposes. I asked for two 3ft x 5ft banners with grommets to hang them. I figure those with a couple of bunches of balloons should add a feel of celebration to the event.

[BrooklynRider]

I mentioned earlier about sending mass email to all forum members. In addition, I have a separate email list of subscribers to Wired New York newletter (with last newsletter from July 2005). If someone can put together the newsletter, I can send it out. It should, in my opinion, be
> Not too long, shorter than the press release
> Have a brief description of the issue, with link to forum thread
> Have a request for donations and a link to wirednewyork.com/jb/memorial/ page that has instructions for donations
> Inform of the upcoming event in Maggie's Garden and has instructions for people who would like to volunteer

How's this:

On April 4th, J.B. Hehman, 20, a member of our WiredNewYork forum community posting as “TLOZ Link5” died, following a senseless attack in Harlem. The forum community at WiredNewYork has reacted to this tragedy by partnering with Bette Midler’s non-profit New York Restoration Project (NYRP) to execute a two-pronged plan of action.

1) On May 13th, volunteers will converge at Maggie’s Garden, an NYRP community garden in Manhattan for a community service project to be performed in J.B. Hehman’s memory. Volunteers are needed.

2) Our members have also embarked on a fund drive to raise $10,000 to create the J.B. Hehman Endowment for Environmental Education. This endowment will fund earth science programs in community parks and gardens for under-served and minority children in Upper Manhattan.

No contribution is too small and all are greatly appreciated. For further information on these efforts and how you can help or donate please visit:

http://www.wirednewyork.com/forum/sh...&postcount=132

Thank you for your support and participation. As JB Hehman posted in our forum,

"If you love the place you live, love it with the same passion that so many New Yorkers do, then you'll learn to tolerate its imperfections if it hasn't been ingrained in you already. Be to its virtues very kind, but be to its faults a little blind."

Help us remember and celebrate J.B.’s contributions to our community!

[BrooklynRider]

I spoke with the NYU Professor organizing the fund drive there. It continues and considering the tight budgets of college students, they are doing pretty good. They have not yet contributed their cash to the project and will do so next week.

[ManhattanKnight]

How's this:

On April 4th, J.B. Hehman, 20, a member of our WiredNewYork forum community posting as “TLOZ Link5” died, following a senseless attack in Harlem. The forum community at WiredNewYork has reacted to this tragedy by partnering with Bette Midler’s non-profit New York Restoration Project (NYRP) to execute a two-pronged plan of action.

1) On May 13th, volunteers will converge at Maggie’s Garden, an NYRP community garden in Manhattan for a community service project to be performed in J.B. Hehman’s memory. Volunteers are needed.

2) Our members have also embarked on a fund drive to raise $10,000 to create the J.B. Hehman Endowment for Environmental Education. This endowment will fund earth science programs in community parks and gardens for under-served and minority children in Upper Manhattan.

No contribution is too small and all are greatly appreciated. For further information on these efforts and how you can help or donate please visit:

http://www.wirednewyork.com/forum/sh...&postcount=132

Thank you for your support and participation. As JB Hehman posted in our forum,

"If you love the place you live, love it with the same passion that so many New Yorkers do, then you'll learn to tolerate its imperfections if it hasn't been ingrained in you already. Be to its virtues very kind, but be to its faults a little blind."

Help us remember and celebrate J.B.’s contributions to our community!

I'd suggest these revisions:

REPLACE PARAGRAPH 1 WITH:

On April 4th, J.B. Hehman, 20, a prolific and articulate member of our WiredNewYork forum community for 3 1/2 years (posting as “TLOZ Link5”) and a Junior at NYU majoring in Urban Studies, died from injuries he received three days earlier when he was assaulted while walking on East 125th Street, Manhattan. The forum community at WiredNewYork has reacted to this tragedy by partnering with non-profit New York Restoration Project (NYRP) to execute a two-pronged plan of action:

Maggie's Garden's location should be identified.

Finally: I compiled a 13-page-long .PDF containing 72 of the quotes from JB's 3300 forum postings that 5 members who read them all selected. I've sent it only to BR, who, I believe, has distributed some copies. It might be useful -- if others agree and the technology permits -- to make this available through a link in the mass letter as a way to further introduce JB to those who may be interested.

[lofter1]

I'd suggest ...

Maggie's Garden's location should be identified.

Here's the pertinent info:

MAGGIE'S GARDEN: Web Link

564 W. 149th Street

New York, NYC, 10031

Map

[BrooklynRider]

A QUICK UPDATE

Thank you for your call this morning, Brian. My forum friends have talked me off the ledge, so it's back to work...

We still have an NYU professor collecting donations amonst JB's classmates, which should be sent in next week. I don't think it will be astronimical, but it will be a bump up.

JB's family is still in mourning, although I have reached out to see if we could find someone in the inner circle to contact NYU Public Affairs. With a nod from someone in that circle who understands where the family stands right now, NYU could generate a fund raising letter to the entire student, faculty and alumni system. It's been a tug-of-war with them, but the lines of communication are still open. This is still an unknown, but looks more and more unlikely as we get closer to May 13th.

Although we have been collecting donations from active members of our online community, we have not yet reached out to the full membership. "Active" is defined as posting within a recent timeframe. At the time of the initiation of this project, we had 585 active members. An email broadcast will go out in the next few days soliciting donations and volunteers from our mailing list, which exceeds 5,000 people.

Publicity: It's all a mystery to me. I thought publicity would bring in funds. I now know publicity isn't all it's cracked up to be.

If NYRP is now working to get the community involved, I am available to talk about our intent and the spirit in which we are pursuing this project. I'll be happy to join you at any meeting(s) where you think we could bring something more to the table to ensure this event is enjoyed and appreciated by all.

Finally, I told you I had a printer donating banners for this project. I would love to have the leisure time to run everything by you, but I am trying to work my job and work this project simultaneously. I'm generally a very cooperative and collaborative person, but time just requires executive decisions. I created these two banners. They will each be 3ft x 5ft. The JB memorial banner is different than what you might have seen before, as I chose a quote more apropos for the spirit of this project. I also changed around some of the header and footer text. The project banner is pretty straight forward. There is no WiredNewYork logo, so it is just a statement and your logo.

[ryan]

I'm guessing someone's already mentioned this, and I've missed it - but everyone is aware that tloz was quoting Matthew Prior, right?

Be to her virtues very kind. Be to her faults a little blind.Matthew Prior
English diplomat & poet (1664 - 1721)

[Classical123]

I assumed he was quoting someone in that post (particularly because he made a point of setting it apart), but I didn't look up the individual's name.

~ Allison

[BrooklynRider]

Oh well, I had to send the artwork to the printer yesterday and I didn't catch that. We'll live through it - in the context of his post it was perfect. Anyone is welcome to come back to WNY to see the post itself if they want to research exactly ho he posted the info.

[BrooklynRider]

I don't want to ask who is showing up on May 13th. I do asked that, if you have a digital camera, you snap some photos to share with our out of town, out of state, and out of country contributors.

Thanks.