Oklahoma City National Memorial Hosts Luncheon For Day Of Giving

Wednesday marks Day One in the 168-day countdown to the anniversary of the Murrah Building bombing, 29 years ago.

It is also the Oklahoma City National Memorial’s 'Day of Giving' to support the Memorial and the museum. The memorial hosts a luncheon on this day every year since the 25th anniversary. Judy Woodruff, who reported on the Murrah Building bombing, was asked to speak at the luncheon.

"I came two to three days after, so the initial shock was beginning to wear off," Woodruff said. "But the image of the building, the images, just the looks on the faces of the Oklahoma citizens will always be with me."

Director of Philanthropy and Partnership Lesli Massad joined News 9 to discuss the 'Day of Giving.'

“Day One is the first of 168 days of remembering those who were killed, honoring those who survived and thanking those who were changed forever,” Massad said.

There are 168 days of remembrance leading up to April 19, 2024, the 29th anniversary of the bombing.

"The threat of domestic terrorism we saw in such a tragic way in OKC in '95 is still very much with us," Woodruff said. "I think the country can look to OKC for how to deal with that. How to absorb it. How to move on from it. But at the same time, how to stay aware and stay vigilant."

The memorial announced today that it's looking for 3,000 volunteers for the 2024 Memorial Marathon. The Thunder is offering to give each volunteer two tickets to an upcoming game.