Printer Friendly Format Share


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 456-10
November 5, 2010

MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND HISTORY ANNOUNCE NEW YORK CITY TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL "THANK A VETERAN AT WORK" INITIATIVE

November 17 Designated as "Thank a Veteran at Work Day" in New York City

PSA Campaign Featuring Mayor Bloomberg, First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and HISTORY President Nancy Dubuc today announced New York City's participation in the "Thank a Veteran at Work" program, a national initiative launched by HISTORY to honor the bravery and sacrifices of veterans. The initiative designates Wednesday, November 17th, as "Thank a Veteran at Work Day" in New York City, and encourages businesses and employees citywide to participate by honoring veterans in the workplace. Mayor Bloomberg will appear in a public service announcement (PSA) as part of HISTORY's national campaign that also features public service announcements recorded by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden.

"New York City is home to hundreds of thousands of military veterans, 9,000 of whom serve New York as part of the City workforce," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Since our nation's founding, these courageous men and women have represented the best our country has to offer, risking their lives to defend the freedoms we continue to enjoy today.  'Thank a Veteran at Work' reminds us to take time out of our busy day to recognize the important work veterans do and say thank you."

"HISTORY is honored to have Mayor Bloomberg join us in spreading the word about our 'Thank a Veteran at Work' program," said Nancy Dubuc, President and General Manager of HISTORY and Lifetime Networks. "At HISTORY, we believe that now, more than ever, it is important to recognize the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country. We believe that with the help of the White House, the VA, and Mayor Bloomberg, 'Thank a Veteran at Work' as well as our corresponding initiative, 'Take a Veteran to School Day,' will go a long way in helping all Americans give our veterans the thanks and support they so richly deserve."

"As we approach Veterans Day, all New Yorkers are reminded of the sacrifices that so many men and women have given in defense of our country," said Mayor's Office of Veterans Affairs Roger Newman. "We should thank our veterans every day and HISTORY's initiative encouraging Americans to take the time to "Thank a Vet" on November 17 is a great way to do that."

The public service announcement featuring Mayor Bloomberg encouraging New Yorkers to take time to thank veterans for their service will air on HISTORY as well as most local NYC television networks on and around Veterans Day and can be seen online at www.nyc.gov. In addition to the national campaign, New York City employees will also be encouraged to participate in "Thank a Veteran Day" November 17th via informational cards that will be distributed to all City employees. The "Thank a Veteran" cards will provide information on where veterans can turn to for assistance and benefits, including resources like the Mayor's Office of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The Mayor is also encouraging other employers across the City to adopt Thank a Vet Day programs in their offices. HISTORY has created guidelines and tips for employers who want to participate in the program and will offer posters which can be co-branded with company logos or seals. All of these resources can be located online via the "Thank a Vet" link at www.nyc.gov.

"Thank a Veteran at Work" was started in 2008 by HISTORY as an extension of its highly successful "Take a Veteran to School Day" initiative, which links veterans with young people in schools and communities across America. It was designed to increase awareness and recognition of the service and contributions of veterans of all ages. This fall, the White House, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and New York City Mayor Bloomberg will join HISTORY in encouraging all employers in the private and public sectors to support the HISTORY effort and recognize veterans in their work forces with a sincere, "Thank you."

HISTORY® and HISTORY HD® are the leading destinations for revealing, award-winning original non-fiction series and event-driven specials that connect history with viewers in an informative, immersive and entertaining manner across multiple platforms. Programming covers a diverse variety of historical genres ranging from military history to contemporary history, technology to natural history, as well as science, archaeology and pop culture. Among the network's program offerings are hit series such as American Pickers, Ax Men, The Universe, Ice Road Truckers, Chasing Mummies, Top Shot and Pawn Stars, as well as acclaimed specials including America the Story of Us, WWII in HD, 102 Minutes That Changed America, Moonshot and Life After People. HISTORY has earned four Peabody Awards, eight Primetime Emmy® Awards, 14 News & Documentary Emmy® Awards and received the prestigious Governor's Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the network's Save Our History® campaign dedicated to historic preservation and history education. Take a Veteran to School Day and Thank a Vet at Work are the network's latest initiatives connecting America's schools and communities with veterans from all wars. The HISTORY website, located at www.history.com, is the leading online resource for all things history, featuring over 20,000 videos, images, audio clips, articles and interactive features that allow visitors to dig deeper into a broad range of thousands of historical topics.







MEDIA CONTACT:


Stu Loeser / Evelyn Erskine   (212) 788-2958

Heather DiRubba (HISTORY)   (212) 210-9760




More Resources
Watch the PSA in low or high bandwidth