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Two locals participate in visit to boost N.Y. The trip by about 850 Oregonians aims to rebuild confidence in the Big Apple By JOHN DARLING Some 850 Oregonians are flying to New York to show that air travel is safe, to talk with business and political leaders to see what Oregonians can do to help and to just spend a little money and help get the city's economy moving again. The group includes two from the Rogue Valley area, state Rep. Cherryl Walker, R-Murphy, and Brad Hicks, president of the Medford-Jackson County Chamber of Commerce. The "Flight for Freedom" was started by a handful of upstate business and civic leaders and quickly sold tickets to a variety of leaders, including Reps. David Wu and Darlene Hooley, Portland Mayor Vera Katz, state Treasurer Randall Edwards, several state legislators, members of Portland area schools, ports and county commissions, chamber of commerce leaders from Bend, Hermiston and Medford, and many ordinary citizens. The trip offers participants a chance to pay their respects to the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks during Sunday ecumenical services by the Oregon Faith Community in Union Square, followed by the laying of a remembrance wreath by Katz. The Oregonians on Monday will meet with New York civic officials, possibly including Mayor Rudy Giuliani, then with business people, to determine what Oregon businesses can do to help New Yorkers through the recovery period, Hicks said. Hicks and his wife, Kimberly, fly United Airlines via Medford, San Francisco and JFK airport in New York today; they'll stay at the Waldorf-Astoria and return Tuesday. The schedule includes several slots for Broadway plays, but Hicks said he will stick to business. Hicks and his wife paid for their trip themselves, using no chamber funds, he said. "I want to be as available as I can to help New Yorkers. I don't look at it as a fun trip." Hicks said he hopes to visit "ground zero," but has "no idea what we will encounter. I know we just can't put it into perspective what the people of New York are going through without witnessing it first." Hicks has "no fear" about flying. "I feel very safe and have full confidence in the new security systems. If I have any anxiety, it's about what we're going to see in New York. I haven't felt like this about anything in my life. It's impacted me in a deep way and I've felt compelled to go there since Sept. 11 and see how we can be helpful." The Medford/Jackson County chamber earlier sent offers of help to the Manhattan chamber and received a plea to join the organization for a year to help with the financial crisis caused by the death of many members in the World Trade Center disaster, Hicks said. The chamber board will consider the request soon. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.