To the Heart of it

About the Book

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.

About the Author

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.