Fourteen volunteers from New York City, including 11 FDNY firefighters from the Upper West Side of Manhattan, flew cross-country on the Sept. 11 anniversary weekend to help rebuild San Diego County homes burned in the Southern California wildfires of October 2003.

It was their way of saying thank you for the love and support that poured into New York City after Sept. 11, according to Jeff Parness, founder of the New York Says Thank You Foundation.

“We could think of no greater statement and cathartic gesture than to have New York City firefighters with us on this trip and have them participate in rebuilding projects as a way to say thank you to America for the support shown our city by volunteers from all across the country in the days, weeks, and months following 9/11,” said Parness.

The FDNY members helped rebuild three homes in Harbison Canyon, a rural community east of San Diego in which 287 of the 388 homes burned in last year's Cedar Fire. Working alongside the FDNY volunteers were firefighters from Lakeside, San Miguel, Alpine, East County, San Diego Rural, Harbison Canyon and Sycuan volunteer fire departments.

The rebuilding projects were coordinated by Carpenters Local 547 San Diego, members of the Harbison Canyon Lions Club, and the San Diego Firestorm Community Recovery Team. The New York Says Thank You organization was formed last year in response to a suggestion from a 5-year-old boy in New York who wanted to help children who lost their homes in the Southern California wildfires. More than 500 people across the United States participated in the group's initial cross-country relief drive to California.

For more information, see www.newyorksaysthankyou.org.