The horrific events of September 11, 2001 have provided us with a feeling of what our parents and grandparents must have felt on December 7, 1945 with the attack on Pearl Harbor. For the owners The SCUBA Connection - a PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Center, located in Belle Mead, New Jersey - George, Sydney, Wayne and Jason Fisch - the first couple of days made it hard to focus on work. Like many other people and businesses in the New York Metropolitan Area, The SCUBA Connection had many friends and customers that worked in New York. ''The first couple of days we racked our brains trying to think of who might have been there that day. Were they okay? Should we call them to check?'' asked Sydney Fisch. The SCUBA Connection considers themselves very lucky because all of their friends and customers were fine. George says, ''Some of them, for one reason or another, were not there that day. One missed the train - another was at an off-site meeting.'' The SCUBA Connection decided they had to do something for those who were directly impacted from this attack through injury and/or the lose of a family member. They organized a ''Dive For Freedom Day'' at Dutch Springs, Pennsylvania. Dive For Freedom Day was a call to all dive shops, scuba divers, families and friends in the area to participate in a dive at Dutch Springs in Bethlehem, on Sunday, October 7, 2001. Intended as a fundraiser to aid the victims of the terrorist attacks on September 11, participants were requested to make a minimum contribution of $20 payable to the New York State World Trade Center Relief Fund. Their goal was to raise $10,000. The SCUBA Connection provided hot chocolate, soup, hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and soda. Dutch Springs contributed 15% of the admission fees paid by participants and all monies collected went directly to the New York State World Trade Center Relief Fund. Sydney Fisch said, ''By the end of the day, with the donations collected and the donation from The SCUBA Connection, and the pledged donations we should meet our goal.'' The SCUBA Connection would like to thank all of those that particpated: the divers, friends, Dutch Springs and vendors (Akona, Dacor, Dive Rite, Henderson, Genesis, Oceanic, PADI, Princeton Tec, Sherwood) who participated in this event. Special thanks to The SCUBA Connection staff members that helped to make this day successful. The SCUBA Connection will be collecting contributions through the end of October 2001. If you wish to participate, please call Sydney or George Fisch at 908-359-1250 for further information or to offer assistance. Note: The purpose of the World Trade Center Relief Fund is to assist the families and dependents of the victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks. This fund is for the benefit of all victims both injured and deceased, including innocent civilians, the dedicated firefighters, policemen, Port Authority officers, Emergency Medical Personnel and relief workers.