GOVERNOR HONORS TROOPER WITH COMPLIMENTARY TRIP TO NEW YORK

NASHVILLE - Gov. Don Sundquist today presented State Trooper Edward Cherry with two complimentary Delta Airlines tickets to New York City as well as a gift certificate for four nights at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at the United Nations for his outstanding service on the Tennessee Highway Patrol Special Operations Unit.
"During the early days of the anthrax scare Trooper Cherry was on the front line of response and under a great deal of pressure," Sundquist said. "He was also an investigator in the tragic Greyhound bus incident in Coffee County last October. On behalf of all Tennesseans I want to thank you, Trooper Cherry. You keep us safe, and we appreciate the job you do."

The trip is being made possible by a grassroots campaign out of Orange County California called Economic Patriotism in Irvine Coast to Coast (EPICC). The group was founded by several citizens wanting to help New York City recover economically from the September 11 attacks. Delta Airlines has joined as a sponsor, supplying two roundtrip tickets to New York to all 50 governors in the United States. Each governor then awards the tickets to someone they feel has represented "a true spirit of recovery" in his or her state.

Sundquist received the tickets, along with a letter explaining the goals of EPICC from Congressman Christopher Cox who represents the citizens of Orange County.
"I want to applaud the benevolent work being done by EPICC," Tennessee Director of Homeland Security Wendell Gilbert said. "It is extremely encouraging to see American citizens reaching out to help people they don't even know recover from the tragedy of September 11."

The hotel accommodations presented by the governor were compliments of David Berck of Berck Management Company of Nashville. Berck facilitated a generous gift from 6 Continents Hotels in Atlanta, Georgia.

Sundquist and Gilbert made the presentation to Cherry and his wife, Katherine, at the State Capitol.