September 9, 2024
Hey y’all,
Twenty three years ago today, we were all glued to our TV screens watching the aftermath of the terrorist attack in New York City. The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center had come crashing down. Nearly 3000 individuals perished that fateful day. First responders were running into the wreckage trying to locate and rescue survivors. It was a day like no other in our lifetimes. As a society, we are still dealing with its aftermath. I recall Haley McKnight saying a year or two ago at Hometown Helena that she was in first grade the day the Twin Towers were destroyed. Today's students at Helena and Capital High Schools and Carroll College and Helena College weren’t even born yet. But time marches on. Memory fades, which is probably a good thing overall. For some, however, including many of us right here in Helena, the memory is still fresh and clear; and we are still trying to learn and apply the lessons of that tragic day to our own ordinary lives and circumstance as best we know how.
Toward that end, Eric Dowell sponsored the annual Heroes of Helena celebration Sunday afternoon at Albertsons. They were all there—Helena Fire and Police, all the Rural and Volunteer Fire Departments, Lewis and Clark county Sheriff, Disaster and Emergency Services, Red Cross, St. Peter’s Hospital, the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and other first responders and agencies I’ve neglected to mention. The citizens of Helena were there in great numbers, demonstrating once again that this community has not forgotten the events of September 11, 2001.
There will be a ceremony tomorrow (Wednesday) at 12 noon in the Rotunda of the State Capitol, commemorating the 23rd anniversary of the tragic events of 9/11. This will be hosted by Attorney General Austin Knudsen and the Montana Department of Justice. Speakers will include the Attorney General, Helena Fire Chief John Campbell, and Kevin Shea, from New York City, who was on duty and a first responder the day of the attack 23 years ago. The ceremony will include the Montana Highway Patrol Honor Guard and the Montana State Firefighter’s Association Honor Guard. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend. Lest we forget.
In addition to the human toll the events of 9/11 took on the country, there are the economic consequences, including the impact on the banking system and the nation’s central bank, the Federal Reserve Bank. While that is not the sole focus of our meeting, it is something to keep in mind as we welcome the the CEO of the Helena Branch, Ms. Shannon Lewis, to Hometown Helena this week. Some of you will recall that Mr. Neel Kashkari, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis joined us a few years ago. Shannon Lewis is his counterpart here in Helena. She will have an update for us this Thursday and explain the role of the Helena Branch in this community.
Here’s a very brief overview of the Helena Branch: The Minneapolis Fed’s only branch is in Helena, Montana. It opened on Feb. 1, 1921, with a staff of 36, thanks to Norman B. Holter, a Helena businessman and member of the Minneapolis Board of Directors, who single-handedly campaigned for its establishment. Since then, the Helena Branch’s impact has grown. Today, its 60 employees work in the Cash, Human Resources, Law Enforcement, Bank Supervision and Public Affairs departments. Among other duties and functions, they:
Gather data about current economic conditions from Montana business and community leaders to inform Bank leadership on setting monetary policy,
Provide cash and coin to banks in the greater Montana region,
Educate the community about our economy and central banking through tours, classroom programs, and outreach
Please join Hometown Helena this Thursday morning at Helena College from 7-8 am to hear from Ms. Lewis. You are welcome to attend in person, or to Zoom in, courtesy of Aja Rail and the good folks at Pinion Global, Inc.
Jim Smith
406-949-1002
Comments
Post a Comment