Visitors to the national 9/11 Memorial who are old enough to recall horrific images of the burning towers, the collapse of the buildings and the tall piles of debris. They know, too, not only of the devastating loss of innocent lives and the impact on victims’ families, but also the effect on the downtown neighborhood and the plight of survivors.

The Memorial’s opening permanently changed the way people view the World Trade Center site.  This sacred site will always recall the pain of that September morning, but I also look at the Memorial as the physical embodiment of the coming together that was the positive legacy of 9/11, and in that way it offers comfort, hope and inspiration.

More than 2 million people have visited the Memorial since the 10-year anniversary of 9/11 to pay their respects to those who were killed on September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993. Many of them have shared their experiences online, discussing the site’s renewal and honoring those who were lost through social media channels like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr.

Read more in the  Downtown Express.

By Joe Daniels, CEO and President of the 9/11 Memorial

Since opening, the 9/11 Memorial has welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the globe – people who have come to these hallowed grounds to remember, reflect and pay tribute.  In addition to seeing the names of the nearly 3,000 victims and standing in the place where the twin towers once stood, many have been moved to capture and share their moments at the memorial.

Earlier this month, the MEMO blog shared some pictures visitors posted to the memorial’s Facebook wall.  See that post here, and take a look at some of these heartfelt moments recently posted to Twitter:

@chadiswell: At the 9/11 Memorial Tonight-beautiful and sobering (November 30, 2011)

@AutismIsARose: In NYC for the day. Reflecting and paying respects at the 9/11 Memorial (November 29, 2011)

@kakapies: 9/11 Memorial: remembering Flight 175 (November 29, 2011)@dlawless9: 9/11 Memorial is gorgeous (November 28, 2011)

Share your own memory by tagging the #911Memorial in your tweets, and follow the 9/11 Memorial at twitter.com/Sept11Memorial. 

By 9/11 Memorial Staff

The video shows the waterfalls taking shape at the 9/11 Memorial construction site. Your votes through Members Project will help the 9/11 Memorial earn $200,000 in essential funding.

We’re asking you to help make one final push to catapult your favorite charity – the 9/11 Memorial – into first place before polls close on Nov. 21.  We need as many votes as possible to reach our goal.

Voting for the Memorial will help ensure the promise to always remember 9/11.

We’re so grateful to all of you who have voted for us every week. Thank you for recruiting family and friends to support us and spread word about this voting effort on Facebook and Twitter.

Every vote matters. Make your voice heard. Help realize this national tribute at the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan.

Here’s three easy steps to help us secure the win this week:

• Vote for the 9/11 Memorial by logging in at TakePart.com or on Facebook.

• Take it one step further, by sharing your vote on Facebook and Twitter.

• Go above and beyond, by asking your friends and family through email or by word-of-mouth to vote for the 9/11 Memorial

After you, your family and friends vote, read more about the waterfall tests in the New York Times.

By 9/11 Memorial Staff

Websignia is described as a "boutique digital media agency" that specializes in discovering creative and technical solutions. The agency is also known for meeting clients' needs. The company did just that in designing the 9/11 Memorial's "The MEMO blog."

With global supporters behind this American tribute, Websignia developed a blog platform that welcomes discovery, exploration and an inside look into the project's construction progress, plans and the work of the people helping to build the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

The 9/11 Memorial thanks Websignia, especially Steve and Dalmar. Please visit The MEMO (The blog's name was created using the first four letters in memorial.) and explore all things related to an unprecedented moment in history. We also urge you to respectfully comment on blog posts.

So please spread the word about The MEMO,  tweet about the exclusive blog posts on Twitter or provide a link to it on Facebook. For all of you who are frequent readers, thank you for your support.

By Michael Frazier, Sr. Communications Manager for the 9/11 Memorial

Did you vote for the 9/11 Memorial yet? I did and I return each week to support the charity I'm proud to represent as the president and CEO of the 9/11 Memorial. I'm asking you to join me in this effort to secure $200,000 for the 9/11 Memorial.  

Voting is easy as steps 1, 2 and 3.

• Step 1: Vote! Visit the Members Project site here, click “register to vote” (or sign in using your username and password if you’ve already participated in Members Project voting) and then vote for the 9/11 Memorial under the “Arts & Culture” category.
• Step 2: Spread the word to your family and friends through e-mail, Facebook, and Twitter. Ask everyone you know to support the building of our nation’s Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center site by voting for the 9/11 Memorial. Here’s an example tweet: “Just 1 year until the 9/11 Memorial opens. Show your support by voting for the 9/11 Memorial to win funding from Members Project. Visit http://bit.ly/bN1yOF.” And an example Facebook post: “I haven’t forgotten 9/11. Please help me win $200,000 for the 9/11 Memorial in support of their mission to commemorate and educate. Visit http://www.takepart.com/membersproject.”
• Step 3: IMPORTANT! Repeat Steps 1 and 2 every week to ensure the 9/11 Memorial receives the much-needed $200,000. Please help us to win this crucial funding. We can’t do it without you. Vote now and visit national911memorial.org to learn more.

Help us get the word out that the 9/11 Memorial has been picked as a charity to win $200,000 through Members Project from American Express and TakePart. If you are already taking the time to vote for us each week, thank you so much. It means a lot to me, our organizations and our supporters.  

Now tell your friends to tell their friends to join you in this effort.  Every single vote counts and we truly appreciate each one. Follow these simple steps to support us through Members Project. Be sure to vote once a week from now until November 21st.

Thank you.

By Joe Daniels, President and CEO of the 9/11 Memorial

We’ve been getting the word out that the 9/11 Memorial has been selected as a candidate to win $200,000 through Members Project from American Express and TakePart. You’ve probably seen our e-mails about this effort, and if you’ve been taking the time to vote for us each week, thank you so very much.

If you haven’t heard about this initiative, or if you have but haven’t found the time to vote, we need your votes now more than ever. This potential funding could go a long way for us at the 9/11 Memorial, helping to support the development of our museum exhibitions. These exhibitions will be the global focal point for telling the story of 9/11, preserving its history and the spirit of unity that has become its legacy for generations to come.

The only way we can get there is with your help, your family and friends and other supporters of the 9/11 Memorial. Please help us spread the word by inviting them to participate through Facebook and Twitter. Every single vote counts and we truly appreciate each one. Follow these simple steps to support us through Members Project. Be sure to vote once a week from now until November 21st.

• Step 1: Vote! Visit the Members Project site here, click “register to vote” (or sign in using your username and password if you’ve already participated in Members Project voting) and then vote for the 9/11 Memorial under the “Arts & Culture” category.
• Step 2: Spread the wordto your family and friends through e-mail, Facebook, and Twitter. Ask everyone you know to support the building of our nation’s Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center site by voting for the 9/11 Memorial. Here's an example tweet: "Just 1 year until the 9/11 Memorial opens. Show your support by voting for the 9/11 Memorial to win funding from Members Project. Visit http://bit.ly/bN1yOF." And an example Facebook post: "I haven’t forgotten 9/11. Please help me win $200,000 for the 9/11 Memorial in support of their mission to commemorate and educate. Visit http://www.takepart.com/membersproject."
• Step 3: IMPORTANT! Repeat Steps 1 and 2 every week to ensure the 9/11 Memorial receives the much-needed $200,000. Please help us to win this crucial funding. We can’t do it without you. Vote now and visit national911memorial.org to learn more.

Thank you all very much. 

By Joe Daniels, President and CEO of the 9/11 Memorial