By Hector Flores
The event, which attracts many of the skating world's luminaries, gives her the chance to pay tribute to her father's firehouse, Squad 288 and Hazardous Materials, in Queens. The station lost 19 firefighters in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
This is the second year Molle will take part in the fund-raiser, which is organized by the Coalition of 9/11 Families and the 9/11 Families Give Back Fund, and provides financial support to families victimized by the attacks.
The event also offers families a chance to help future terrorism victims, and recalls the 3,000 civilians and 343 firefighters who lost their lives Sept. 11.
"I am very proud and honored to be a part of the show," Molle said. "We can never forget what happened on that day, and this is one of the best ways of making a tribute and honoring those who have been affected by 9/11."
Molle's father, Hank, who recently retired from the New York City Fire Department, said that he is very proud of his daughter for performing in the firefighters' memory. "When she skates, it says on the screen that she is skating in honor of the 19 firefighters who were lost from Squad 288 and Hazzmat," he said. "Some of those lost were very close friends of mine, and it just happened that our house lost a lot of men. But regardless of who died that day, she would still be skating in the memory of all the firefighters who died. Anyone with any sense would have left those buildings at the first sign of trouble, but that is not what these men were all about. Their courage and loss is something that needs remembering."
Joining Molle at this year's performance will be two other Bellmore skaters, Elizabeth Muglie, 10, and Rebecca Hirsch, 8.
Doug Drotman, an event spokesman, said there are more than 75 young skaters who were chosen for the show through a talent search held in Long Island, New York City and Connecticut. Selected skaters will not only share the ice rink with their favorite stars, but will also take part in a group performance.
According to Drotman, Long Islander Emily Hughes, younger sister of Olympic gold medalist Sarah Hughes, will open this year's event. She will be followed by other prominent skaters, including Surya Bonaly, Olympic and five-time European champion; Philippe Candeloro, two-time Olympic medalist; Tiffany Scott and Philip Dulebohn, two-time U.S. pairs champions; Johnny Weir, 2001 Junior World champion; Jennifer Robinson, five-time Canadian champion; Yuka Sato and Jason Dungjen, American Open champions; Vakhtang Murvanidze, 10-time Georgian champion; Galit Chait and Sergei Sakhnovsky, Israeli ice dancers; Tenith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto, world junior ice dance champions; and Kathryn Lucash and Garret Orscher, U.S. national silver medalists.
Molle remembers how, as a little girl, she fondly watched skaters perform on TV. Her mother took her to her first ice-skating class when she was 5. After the group lesson, she discovered a love for the sport, and has skated ever since. But after her father lost his co-workers at the World Trade Center, skating in their memory in the Icetravaganza makes her sport that much more special for her.
"Performing in the Icetravaganza is something I would like to do for as long as I'll be skating," Molle said. "I love performing in the show because it is just a great cause."
Tickets to Stars, Stripes & Skates are $10, $25, $50 and $75 and are available at the Nassau Coliseum box office, through Ticketmaster, at (212) 307-7171, or at www.ticketmaster.com. For more information about the event, the Stars, Stripes & Skates future talent search or the Coalition of 9/11 Families and the 9/11 Families Give Back Fund, call (212) 679-6565, or visit www.StarsStripesAndSkates.org.
