FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Tony Howard

O: (571) 209-9020

m: (703) 470-0792

e: thoward@loudounchamber.org

To commemorate 10th anniversary of 9/11 attacks, Loudoun Chamber

Luncheon will feature Chairman of Project Rebirth

Loudoun, VA – On August 17th, weeks before the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce will host a presentation by Brian Rafferty, Chairman of Project Rebirth, the organization behind the acclaimed documentary film Rebirth, which chronicles the lives of five individuals coping with the aftermath of the 9/11 tragedy.

This Leadership Luncheon Series event will take place on Wednesday, August 17th from 11:30 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. at The National Conference Center in Leesburg, Virginia.

Mr. Rafferty will headline this Leadership Luncheon Series event, where he will discuss Project Rebirth’s educational and therapeutic programs for those recovering from traumatic events.  Rafferty will also discuss the groundbreaking cinematic work of Director Jim Whitaker and Director of Photography Tom Lappin, including the 14 time lapse cameras deployed to capture the World Trade Center site development over the past eight years. The Project Rebirth team created a film that melds the personal stories of coping with trauma with the powerful images of the World Trade Center site being rebuilt.

“The tragic events of September 11, 2001 impacted every community in our nation. To mark this 10th anniversary, the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce is proud to welcome Mr. Rafferty and Project Rebirth.  Project Rebirth honors the memory of those who died and provides hope for others who suffer from tragic loss,” said Loudoun County Chamber President Tony Howard.

Project Rebirth worked to find the best opportunities to leverage Rebirth and a digital archive of over 800 hours for the greatest social good.  With a commitment from Project Rebirth's inception to provide content to the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum, educational and therapeutic programming has been developed with an emphasis on preparing for and responding to psychological trauma and grief, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). 

Rafferty will highlight some of the initiatives already underway, and plans for Rebirth to serve as a call to action and fundraising tool to help meet the urgent need to better deal with the psychological trauma and grief associated with disasters.

Loudoun business community member, John Wood, has had an active role in Project Rebirth since the beginning, serving as Treasurer of the organization. “Project Rebirth has the largest archive of its kind, documenting the rebuilding of Ground Zero and how the human spirit copes, rebuilds, and moves on from tragic loss.  Many people suffer from PTSD—members of the military and their families, along with survivors of natural and manmade disasters.  The Project Rebirth archive will make a lasting difference, by providing professionals and first responders with the tools they need to better understand and treat PTSD,” said John Wood, Chairman and CEO of Telos Corporation, provider of advanced technology security solutions to the military, federal agencies, and businesses around the world. Telos Corporation continues to be a proud sponsor of Project Rebirth.

Slated for theatrical release in Washington D.C. on September 9th, Rebirth has already earned awards and wide praise for capturing the resilience of the human spirit.  “Rebirth is awesome.  Both a work of art and of the heart, it is really and truly inspiring,” the Hollywood Reporter reviewed.  Rebirth will also premiere at 9:00 P.M. on Sunday, September 11th, on Showtime.

For more information on Project Rebirth, please visit www.projectrebirth.org. To register for this Leadership Luncheon Series event, visit www.loudounchamber.org.

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