County Executive Suozzi bats while Chairman of the 8th Battalion and Nassau County Fire Commission Commissioner Andrew DeMartin catches in a mock softball game announcing a Softball Tournament Fundraiser to raise money for the construction of the Nassau County 9/11 Memorial.

Mineola, N.Y.- Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi joined the Nassau County 9/11 Memorial Foundation to announce that a Softball Tournament Fundraiser will be held at the Mitchel Field Athletic Complex during the weekend of July 23-24, 2005. Proceeds from the Tournament will go to the construction of the Nassau County 9/11 Memorial, which is scheduled to be completed on September 11, 2005.

"I am very pleased that we are able to host this fundraiser for the 9/11 Memorial and that so many Nassau residents will participate in the tournament," said County Executive Suozzi. "It will not only be a day of some great softball, but it is wonderful knowing that our efforts are going to such a worthwhile cause."

Teams participating in the Tournament include members of the Nassau County Police Department, Suffolk County Police Department and fire departments from all over Long Island. In addition, Long Island Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and senior citizens will be volunteering at the event, which will include a Pee-Wee softball game for children, and music from the Westbury High School Choir.

Through the efforts of the Nassau County 9/11 Memorial Foundation, the memorial is currently being built at Eisenhower Park, which will honor the victims and heroes of the World Trade Center tragedy. The vision is to bring together the memories of the women and men of Nassau County who died on Sept. 11, 2001. The monument is estimated to cost up to $750,000 and will feature two semitransparent aluminum towers, representing the World Trade Center towers, rising 30 feet from a reflecting pool. It will also contain a wall with the names of 281 victims who lived in or had ties to Nassau, and two pieces of steel from the trade center's wreckage.The final design chosen was designed by Keith Striga of Valley Stream and Phil Gavosto of Glen Cove.

"The tragedy of September 11th has left an indelible mark on our county as well as our nation," said County Executive Suozzi. "Many of those who lost their lives were from Nassau, and it is my sincerest hope that once completed, the memorial will lend some solace to the pain we, as a county, still feel today."

County Executive Suozzi was joined by President Bush, Governor Pataki and victims' families in breaking ground for the memorial at a ceremony in 2004. The memorial will be the first and largest one completed to date in New York State.

For further information about the 9/11 Memorial please contact:

Nassau County 9/11 Memorial Project
Nassau County Department of Parks & Recreation
Administrative Building, Eisenhower Park
Hempstead Turnpike
East Meadow, NY 11554
(516) 572-0200
Email: NC911MemorialProject@hotmail.com