Queens, NY – Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D,WF-Fresh Meadows) and the Bayside Hills Civic Association (BHCA) planted a sapling from the Survivor Tree at the Bayside Hills 9/11 Memorial on Bell Boulevard. The tree, which was donated by the John Bowne High School agriculture program, is a second-generation sapling that was grown from a tree that was pulled from the rubble of the World Trade Center towers 18 years ago.

“As a symbol of resilience, this new sapling will serve as a living memorial for the victims of September 11th and commemorate the continued heroism of our first responders,” said Assemblywoman Nily Rozic. “It will be a long-lasting memorial of the sacrifice on that fateful day and a very meaningful addition to our community. I am honored to join the Bayside Hills Civic Association in planting this sapling and thank Michael Feiner and Ronald Keil for their efforts.”

Michael Feiner, President of the Bayside Hills Civic Association said: “Thank you Assemblywoman Rozic and John Bowne High School for the sensational addition to our community. It is for moments such as this that it is so wonderful to be involved in local civics, and live in this neighborhood. Thanks also to Ronald and Richard Keil who planted the sapling and our Bayside Hills Civic Association Board members.”

Patrycja Zbrzezny, Assistant Principal of the John Bowne High School Agriculture Department said: “The 9/11 Survivor tree is a symbol of strength, resilience, and perseverance.

We are glad that the tree is staying within the NYC and Queens communities and will always remind us of those qualities as it continues to grow throughout the years. We are proud to be the caretakers of these trees and will never forget their story and what they represent.”

Ronald Keil, Bayside Hills Civic Association Board Member said: “It was a pleasure and an honor to be involved in securing this surviving 9/11 sapling for our Bayside Hills memorial mall.

My thanks to Assemblymember Rozic for making our civic association aware of this opportunity, to the Bartlett Tree Organization for propagating the seeds from the host tree, toJohn Bowne High School and staff for caring for and storing the saplings and to my colleagues on the Bayside Hills Civic Association, Michael Feiner and Sebastian D’Agostino, for their ongoing help and support. This Callery Pear tree is a welcome addition to our memorial mall.”

The Survivor Tree seedling program administered by the 9/11 Memorial & Museum was launched on September 11, 2013, in partnership with Bartlett Tree Experts, of Stamford, Connecticut, and John Bowne High School in Flushing, Queens. Every year, the ornamental pear trees, known for their thick white blossoms in the spring, have been planted across the country in areas recovering from disaster or tragedy, such as Sandy Hook, Connecticut, or the superstorm Sandy-ravaged Rockaways.