Furniture store gets piece of Trade Center
PENN TWP — Standing under a giant American flag and surrounded by three dozen Butler County police officers and firefighters, New York City firefighter Peter Daniti clutched a small piece of steel from the World Trade Center on Wednesday.
Daniti's message: Good can come from tragedy and loss. And such is the legacy of Steven Gerard Siller.
Siller, a firefighter who died saving others on Sept. 11, 2001, from the terrorist attacks, is the namesake of the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, an organization that builds specially equipped “smart homes” for catastrophically wounded veterans.
The piece of ground zero was presented to Jody Offstein, owner of Furniture Galleries Carpet One, Butler, as thanks for a $1,500 donation to the organization.
“That is the power of our community,” Offstein said of the money quickly raised by the store's customers as well as the support offered by uniformed officials at the event.
In addition to store employees and Offstein's family, the brief ceremony was attended by firefighters and police officers from Butler, the Butler Township Fire District No. 3, Saxonburg, South Butler, Penn Township, Middlesex Township and the state police.
“As a veteran and former captain in the United States Army, I know first-hand the honor and sacrifices of our armed forces,” Offstein said. “When I talk to our customers and friends about this program, there are so many people willing to help. The Butler and Cranberry Township community have so many great Americans willing to step up and help. It really reinforces my opinion of our great community.”
