“Over the last 17 years those of us at the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum have had the great privilege of getting to know Senator Kennedy, who was an ardent supporter of our museum.
“Senator Kennedy supported the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum from the very beginning and was a frequent visitor. His help and belief in the museum contributed greatly to the success it is today.
“All of us at the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum express our deep sadness on the passing of Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Our hearts go out to Mrs. Kennedy, the Senator’s children and all members of the Kennedy family.
“We will miss him greatly. He was much more than our esteemed Senator; he was our neighbor and friend.”
(attribution) – The Board of Directors of the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum Foundation and the Hyannis Area Chamber of Commerce, which runs the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum.
I am so sorry that America lost one of its most important spokespersons for the
commom man. Power often cleanses our elected officials of their humanity, rendering
them cold and blind to the concepts that undergird our society.
Senator Kennedy has experienced much joy in his life (as evidenced by how profoundly
those around him will be grieving his loss), but he has suffered much tragedy, too.
In both, I feel a kinship.
I will miss him forever.
Donna Marsh O’Connor
Mother of Vanessa Lang Langer, WTC Tower II, 93rd floor
Hello and a huge THANK YOU posthumously to Senator Ted Kennedy, and thoughts and
prayers to his family:
Today, Massachusetts is mourning deeply the passing of one of its U.S. Senators-
Edward (Ted) M. Kennedy.
U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy was THE FIRST ADULT outside of Broad Meadows Middle School
who believed in the “Kids’ Campaign to establish a School for Iqbal in Pakistan.”
Not only did Senator Kennedy listen to the Broad Meadows’ students’ emerging dream
of creating a school for Iqbal Masih in Pakistan, but Senator Kennedy then
immediately on June 9, 1995, issued a Press Release from his Senate Office
encouraging others to team up with the Broad Meadows students to make “A School for
Iqbal” a reality. Suddenly, with one statement, Senator Kennedy gave validity and
voice to Massachusetts schoolchildren who were asking for education for powerless
children like Iqbal in Pakistan.
Today, the “School for Iqbal” is a reality in Pakistan.
Without Senator Kennedy’s immediate belief in the “School for Iqbal,” it is unlikely
that the Iqbal School could ever have been successful. It was Senator Kennedy who
took the next step after his statement of support. He contacted Pakistan’s Prime
Minister Benazir Bhutto and respectfully asked her to decide on whether she could
support or not support the Kids’ Campaign to establish a School for Iqbal in
Pakistan. Withing four days, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto sent back her decision:
“We welcome your campaign.” That is how the kids’ dream of a School for Iqbal in
Pakistan received the support of the government of Pakistan. It was Ted Kennedy
working through the Constitutional powers granted to Senators to work on
international matters. Without U.S. Senate help, nothing of an international nature
is possible in the U.S.A. After the support of Kennedy and Bhutto, the Broad
Meadows children reached out to schools across the U.S. and initiated a monumental
fund raising campaign in classrooms across the world to fund a dream of “A School
for Iqbal” in Pakistan. The “School for Iqbal” team ultimately expanded to include
supporters both individuals and in schools in all 50 states and 27 countries and “A
School for Iqbal” became a reality.
Today, the Broad Meadows Middle School Kids’ Campaign mourns the death of the Lion
of the U.S. Senate, Ted Kennedy.
Today, the Kids’ Campaign is still active at Broad Meadows, still following the
model Ted Kennedy taught us: do something to help others using the talents you have,
form teams to grow support, press on and never give in.
Thanks, Ted, for joining our team to build schools in developing countries for
children like Iqbal-the powerless and voiceless in the grips of poverty and child
labor. http://www.odwusa.org
Today, people in Massachusetts and many others in many other locations are mourning
deeply the passing of U.S. Senator Edward (Ted) M. Kennedy. Senator Ted Kennedy
devoted his political life to helping families, to helping those without a voice,
those on the outside of power circles, those who did not have equal resources,
especially regarding education, race, poverty, immigration, gender and health issues
in particular. Senator Kennedy helped form teams of people of all races and ages
and political parties to write and pass laws which would give power to the
powerless.
With deepest gratitude to Senator Ted Kennedy, a good man who helped Broad Meadows
Middle School children when they felt powerless and paralyzed by the murder of their
friend Iqbal Masih.
With appreciation for the inspiration Senator Kennedy has instilled in our school to
continue building teams of people of all ages and races and religions to take action
to bring education and health care to all children especially those trapped for the
moment in poverty or child labor. http://www.odwusa.org
Our latest campaign (we have annual campaigns dating back to 1999) was successful.
Students teamed up with Partners in Health to bring free education and free health
care to 2000 poor children and their families in Haiti. Together, adults and
children, can change this world for children every school year. We are dedicated to
that.
Thanks, Ted, for believing in us here at the Broad Meadows Middle School. Because
you believed in us, we believe more in ourselves. Your visits to our school to check
on the status of our campaigns were not publicized. You visited us because you cared
about the campaign of bringing education and health care to all children. We learned
so much from you at those informal meetings with you at Broad Meadows Middle School.
We realized all along that you probably were visiting and helping many, many others
on many, many other good projects. We realized you are doing good not for the
publicity but you were helping to grow teams to do many good deeds because it was
the right thing to do.
Bless you Senator Kennedy. We stand on your shoulders. Thank you.
Sincerely.
Mr. Ron Adams, teacher adviser from 1994-present to
The Kids’ Campaign: A School for Iqbal and its annual sister campaign known as ODW
(Operation Day’s Work)
at Broad Meadows Middle School
Quincy, MA
USA