News Release

Special Honour for the Communities of HRM and Gander

(Friday, May 3/2002)-- Representatives of a number of public and private agencies that provided assistance to passengers travelling on Lufthansa trans-Atlantic flights diverted to Halifax and Gander as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11^th will travel to Frankfurt, Germany, later this month.

As a token of its gratitude and appreciation to the citizens of Halifax and Gander, Newfoundland, the German national airline is christening one of its new Airbus A-340 aircraft the "Gander- Halifax," which will permanently display the names and official coats-of-arms of the two Atlantic municipalities.

Lufthansa has invited representatives of the agencies and caregiver organizations who were directly involved in assisting passengers aboard their September 11^th flights to New York to attend the christening ceremony at the airline's headquarters in Frankfurt on May 16th. Special invitations had been extended to Mayor Peter Kelly, of HRM, and Mayor Claude Elliot, of Gander.

Members of the HRM delegation will represent the following groups: Mount Saint Vincent Motherhouse; Camp Aldershot; the Dartmouth Sportsplex; the Salvation Army; the Canadian Red Cross; HRM Emergency Measures Organization; the Halifax International Airport Authority; the Nova Scotia Department of Community Services; the Kings County Firefighter's Association; and local police services.

Lufthansa will fly the joint delegation to Frankfurt on May 14^th and the group will return to Gander/Halifax on May 18^th. While in Frankfurt, delegates will be lodged at the Lufthansa Training Centre.

Mayor Kelly said "We are very grateful to Lufthansa for this special recognition. This is a tremendous gesture of friendship by honouring those who brought comfort and reassurance to those diverted to our communities during those tragic times last September.

"Facing difficult challenges often brings out the best in people. That is certainly supported by the history of kindness and generosity of our people., " Mayor Kelly said in closing.

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Mayor Peter Kelly
(902) 490-4010