It’s no secret that we love supporting worthy causes and giving back where we can, maybe as much as we love trucking. And that’s a whole lot of love to go around! In early October, we participated in the Tampa Tower Climb in support of one of our favorite organizations, the Tunnels to Towers Foundation.
We’re so proud to have been this event’s largest sponsor. We also put together the largest climbing team and raised the most money as an individual organization. The climb was hard work but not nearly as difficult as the sacrifices made by our first responders every day.
Tunnels to Towers Honors Those Who Serve Us All
The Stephen Siller Tunnels to Towers Foundation was founded after 9/11 to honor the ultimate sacrifice of one man, but a man representative of all those first responders who lost their lives on that infamous day.
Siller, an off-duty firefighter assigned to Brooklyn Squad 1, had finished his shift and was looking forward to a day of golfing with his brothers when he got word that a plane had hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Without hesitation, he retrieved his gear, and upon finding the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel closed to vehicle traffic, he parked his truck, strapped on his gear, and made his way through the tunnel to the WTC on foot. Stephen would never return for his truck.
A Legacy of Doing Good
Like so many that day, Siller laid down his life to save others. Raised in the Franciscan tradition, which is guided by the philosophy of “while we have time, let us do good,” Siller did what good he could with what time he had.
The Tunnels to Towers Foundation continues to honor Stephen Siller’s memory by raising and distributing funds to support:
- First Responders (Paramedics/EMTs, Law Enforcement, and Firefighters
- Active-Duty and Retired Military
- And their families
When they are experiencing financial difficulties due to injury or death, or need to find or maintain safe, stable housing.
Expanding T2T’s Impact
To keep Stephen Siller’s memory alive, Tunnels to Towers, founded by Stephen’s brother Frank Siller, organized the Tunnels to Towers 5K run in New York City in 2002, just a year after the World Trade Center attacks. In the 20 years since that first commemorative 5K run, the T2T Foundation has expanded its impact with hundreds of events across the United States, including more than 80 in 2022 alone. Along with 5K runs, tower climbs, and golf outings also bring people together for this cause.
The Tampa Tower Climb for Tunnels to Towers Foundation is in its fifth year and going strong.
A Lot of Heart & A Lot of Stairs
There are so many stories of sacrifice from 9/11 and 38 aboveground stories in the PNC Tower in Tampa. Our climbing team made the commitment to climb those stories in October, taking on over 800 stairs each on our way to raising money for the T2T Foundation.
While our climbing team was pushing the limits of their endurance, the help of generous donors and supporters like you pushed our lifetime total raised for Tunnels to Towers to over $100,000.
Yes. $100,000!
That’s all money that goes into the hands of the people and their families that sacrifice for us every day. That’s worth the effort to us, and we can’t wait for the next T2T event to push ourselves and our fundraising even further.
A Drop In The Bucket
$100,000 is a lot of money, and we’re so grateful for the opportunities we’ve had to deliver that sum to the T2T Foundation. But our contribution is just a drop in the bucket. To date, the Tunnels to Towers Foundation has raised over $250 million, and an impressive 95% of that money goes directly into their programming. They’ve helped the families of over 450 fallen first responders pay off their mortgages to stay in their homes and maintain a mobile 9/11 Never Forget museum exhibit that has had over 600,000 visitors since going on the road. If you want to learn more about the foundation or participate in an upcoming event, check out their T2T website and discover how you can assist in their incredible efforts.
Other Ways We Give Back
While Tunnels to Towers is a national organization, we also love being part of our Florida community. Giving back to the place we’ve called home for over three generations and where we’ve worked since 1980 is a high priority for us.
Our drivers drive the same roads as you every day. Our entire staff lives and works in the same neighborhoods you call home. It’s our privilege and responsibility to support our community, and by lifting others up, we, too, are lifted.
We proudly donate to and support several food banks, helping supply families in need with fresh, healthy food year-round.
We also love to see people having fun, so sponsoring sports teams is high on our list, too. If you see T. Disney Trucking on the back of a shirt, do us a favor and root for our team!
Can’t Forget Our Day Job
As enjoyable as it is to climb towers and raise money for awesome causes, we also have work to do. As part of our commitment to the community, we’re also here to provide you with safe, reliable trucking for all your building projects. Whether you need commercial aggregate sourcing or hauling, or hauling for a residential project, get in touch or request a quote today.
We’ve got friendly office staff, skilled dispatchers, and over 1,000 capable drivers ready to haul your materials throughout Florida, and we can’t wait to work with you!
