In April 2002, I went to New York with four co-workers to volunteer at Ground Zero for a week. At the
time I was the director of an AmeriCorps program in Wisconsin. I announced this opportunity to the AmeriCorps members serving in my program and then coordinated the trip for those who were able to come.
I knew this experience would change my life so
I brought a journal with me to record my thoughts and
experiences. I wanted to remember what it was like
when I was there, so I brought the journal with me
everywhere I went and wrote in it every opportunity I
had. Reading it can be difficult for me, but I do it when
I feel the need to reflect. I wanted to write out the notes
of my journal because I needed to release my feelings
from Ground Zero.
I also felt it was important to share this
experience with others. Many of my loved ones asked
me what it was like volunteering at Ground Zero but I
couldn't verbalize it; this memoir is a recollection of
what I experienced while in New York, based on my
journal. I changed some of the names to respect the
privacy of those I met.
To separate the time I spent exploring New
York, and time at Ground Zero, boldface type
highlights time spent at Ground Zero.
Because it was such an emotional experience for
me, and because I experienced a lot, some details are
fuzzy, but this is how I remember New York and
Ground Zero. This is my experience, from the bus trip,
to volunteering at Ground Zero,and exploring New York.
Maxine Platt holds a degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She worked as an AmeriCorps service director in Appleton, Wisconsin and currently resides in Milwaukee. To the Heart of It is her first book. Platt is currently at work on her second writing project.