FOUNDED OUT OF TRAGEDY

On September 11th 2001, five friends, Phil Gruber, Danny Rosin, Tom Lyon, Skip Mangum and Shellie Sierra met to discuss what instrumental role they could play in responding to the terrors of 9/11. None were firemen. Because they lived in Raleigh, NC, far from where the horrific tragedies occurred, onsite assistance would be an impossibility. There were no existing, trusted charitable outlets. Despite these obstacles, they had a deep sense that they could do, and had to do, something. They knew they were not alone.

Over the next several weeks, they brought together a group of more than 40 young business leaders from across the Triangle to raise awareness and money for the victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks. They created an organization called Band Together for Our Heroes. They produced a 4-band event that brought over 1,000 people together, raising over $60,000 for NYC and DC Family Relief efforts.