email610.xml
Title
email610.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
email
Date Entered
2002-08-27
September 11 Email: Body
From: Carol Martzinek/AMS/AMSINC@AMSINC
Date: 10/23/2001 3:21PM
To: Carol Martzinek/AMS/AMSINC@AMSINC
cc: Denise Miller/AMS/AMSINC@AMSINC (bcc: AMS NYRO STAFF ALL)
Subject: Volunteer Information: Cheer on WTC Rescue Workers (ongoing)
I'm planning on going down to Christopher Street and the Westside Highway to cheer on the WTC rescue workers 2-3 nights a week after work, every week. Anyone who wants to join me is welcome. My plan is to leave from here at 5:30pm to go down there on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights, weather permitting.
I've been down there twice so far, and it's really amazing. While there are some real emotional moments (more about that below), on the whole, it is a very encouraging, and inspiring experience. I don't know if anyone saw the Today Show yesterday morning, but they taped a segment about us on Sunday. I've yet to see it, but from what I heard, and from what I've seen first-hand, the rescue workers really appreciate all of the cheering and moral support. Words can't describe the feeling you get when you're out there in the middle of the West Side Highway holding up a "thank you" sign, and rescue workers going to/from the World Trade Center honk their horns, sound their sirens, wave at you and smile. I've met some pretty incredible folks in the short time that I've been down there.
If you're hesitant to go there because you're worried that it will be very emotional, at times, it is. On Sunday, ambulance convoys bearing recovered victims passed by us twice. Many of us cried, but there were also lots of hugs to go around for those who needed them. There are also great moments, like when one of the rescue workers stopped to drop off a batch of letters and some stuffed animals that had been given to them by schoolchildren, and hug a few of us. Or the debris truck driver who stopped to tell us how he could not believe that there were people down there to cheer them on every day, 24 hours a day. There are the thumbs-up that you get from NYPD, State Troopers, debris truck drivers and Verizon workers, and the knowledge that what you're doing down there really does make a difference.
If you're concerned that you'll see something that is visually upsetting, rest assured that you will not see anything worse than trucks carting off concrete and steel debris. You will not see anything worse - any ambulances that pass by with remains are accompanied by a police escort, so you have advance "warning" and you cannot see inside the ambulances. Some days it smells smoky, but not any more than it does outside the Chase building.
There's no minimum time commitment - even if all you have is a few free minutes, it makes a difference. There are plenty of signs available, so you don't even need to bring one. There's always someone down there, and the people are very friendly. To get there from the Chase Plaza office, all you have to do is take the Uptown 1 or 2 train to Christopher Street, and then walk about 5 blocks west to the West Side Highway. You can't miss it - there are "thank you" signs all over the place.
Personally, I've found that being down there has improved my overall outlook on this whole thing, and that it's a very healing experience that I'd like to share with anyone who's interested.
Carol
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carol Martzinek
American Management Systems, Inc.
Date: 10/23/2001 3:21PM
To: Carol Martzinek/AMS/AMSINC@AMSINC
cc: Denise Miller/AMS/AMSINC@AMSINC (bcc: AMS NYRO STAFF ALL)
Subject: Volunteer Information: Cheer on WTC Rescue Workers (ongoing)
I'm planning on going down to Christopher Street and the Westside Highway to cheer on the WTC rescue workers 2-3 nights a week after work, every week. Anyone who wants to join me is welcome. My plan is to leave from here at 5:30pm to go down there on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights, weather permitting.
I've been down there twice so far, and it's really amazing. While there are some real emotional moments (more about that below), on the whole, it is a very encouraging, and inspiring experience. I don't know if anyone saw the Today Show yesterday morning, but they taped a segment about us on Sunday. I've yet to see it, but from what I heard, and from what I've seen first-hand, the rescue workers really appreciate all of the cheering and moral support. Words can't describe the feeling you get when you're out there in the middle of the West Side Highway holding up a "thank you" sign, and rescue workers going to/from the World Trade Center honk their horns, sound their sirens, wave at you and smile. I've met some pretty incredible folks in the short time that I've been down there.
If you're hesitant to go there because you're worried that it will be very emotional, at times, it is. On Sunday, ambulance convoys bearing recovered victims passed by us twice. Many of us cried, but there were also lots of hugs to go around for those who needed them. There are also great moments, like when one of the rescue workers stopped to drop off a batch of letters and some stuffed animals that had been given to them by schoolchildren, and hug a few of us. Or the debris truck driver who stopped to tell us how he could not believe that there were people down there to cheer them on every day, 24 hours a day. There are the thumbs-up that you get from NYPD, State Troopers, debris truck drivers and Verizon workers, and the knowledge that what you're doing down there really does make a difference.
If you're concerned that you'll see something that is visually upsetting, rest assured that you will not see anything worse than trucks carting off concrete and steel debris. You will not see anything worse - any ambulances that pass by with remains are accompanied by a police escort, so you have advance "warning" and you cannot see inside the ambulances. Some days it smells smoky, but not any more than it does outside the Chase building.
There's no minimum time commitment - even if all you have is a few free minutes, it makes a difference. There are plenty of signs available, so you don't even need to bring one. There's always someone down there, and the people are very friendly. To get there from the Chase Plaza office, all you have to do is take the Uptown 1 or 2 train to Christopher Street, and then walk about 5 blocks west to the West Side Highway. You can't miss it - there are "thank you" signs all over the place.
Personally, I've found that being down there has improved my overall outlook on this whole thing, and that it's a very healing experience that I'd like to share with anyone who's interested.
Carol
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carol Martzinek
American Management Systems, Inc.
September 11 Email: Date
10/23/2001
September 11 Email: Subject
Volunteer Information: Cheer on WTC Rescue Workers (ongoing)
Collection
Citation
“email610.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed July 3, 2024, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/39490.