new friends
  
can you hear us
cause we hear you
can you feel us
cause we feel you
can you see us
cause oh we see you
everywhere and
in everything we do |
     
tragedy
  
every morning
every night
we look downtown
there is no light
but we feel your presence
we feel your weight
we feel your souls as they alight
if it's any comfort
as you watch from there
I hope you see
how much we care
and know we carry you
with every breath of air |
 
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After witnessing the tragedy of 9.11 from my roof, the first place I volunteered was at Pier 40 (at Houston and West Streets). That day I sent the first of what would become over 40 email lists of specific, needed supplies. Once Pier 40 was closed down I heard about WTC Ground Zero Relief, a volunteer organization operating out of a warehouse on Spring Street. I rode by there on my bike one Saturday at the end of September, and met Rhonda Roland Shearer. I told her I would like to volunteer, and she called me the next morning at 8am asking me if I would volunteer with FEMA that night at PS 89, on Chambers St and West. From that point on I spent nights at Ground Zero making deliveries, and days at the warehouse, writing emails of supply lists and information updates in between.
From: Valerie Ghent
Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2001 20:51:06
Subject: Needed items at Pier 40 and other info
Hello friends,
After days of despair and shock, and now that the barricades are down I have found a few things to do. Life below 14th street during the area closing was surreal: silent streets except for the continual sirens; people standing completely still and silent in the middle of every north/south street, gazing downtown at the massive plumes of smoke; most businesses closed - though many restaurants were open; no newspaper delivery (I rode my bike up to 72nd street along the bike path to find one last Wednesday); of course no mail; no deliveries; 'border patrols' at 14th, Houston and Canal Streets where only a photo ID showing you are a resident got you through. The building I live in is on West Street which has been the main route down to the WTC rescue and clean up area on West below Chambers. I have been riding my bike every day up and down to see what is going on and today at Pier 40 I found they need some very specific items:
- FYI Pier 40, at Houston and West Street, is ground zero for the rescue and clean up workers, they go there for supplies and respite -
Needed items at Pier 40 specifically:
Vicks VaporRub - high priority -
respirators - the good, yes expensive, ones - also high priority but harder to come by
duct tape
boot insoles
medical supplies
sweatshirts - XL and XXL please
women's boots
cigarettes (many of the workers down there are Army people and apparently many want cigarettes)
I am going back there now, and will be going there regularily to help when I can. You can bring things to Pier 40 directly, it is at Houston and West Streets, or if that's hard to get to - it's a bit far out of the way from subways by foot, and forget driving there, biking is the easist actually - you, or if you live far away but know someone in the area, can bring them to me and I will bring them there myself. Please email me and let me know if you would like to arrange that. This will be an ongoing area for assistance, they are predicting by Monday they may need more help as volunteer people return to work and/or burn out.
Also, if you are a Battery Park City resident or know one, there will be a meeting for more information about BPC tomorrow, Sunday 9/16/01, at 4pm at the corner of 6th Avenue and Canal Streets. My sister, for those of you who know my family and have been asking, is ok, as is her son Grady, though they can not return to their apartment as it is only a few blocks from what was the WTC. They were able to pick up a few things from their place today for the first time, under escort (before this only residents with pets were allowed to briefly return).
Yes the helicopters and F16's are flying overhead. Yes the waters are filled with ships, I see them from my window. Yes the smoke still billows through our skies, and yes while the smell is growing more acrid right now the wind has changed. We are at the whim of the wind. At night the smoke is lit up from the searchlights, while the rest of downtown is dark. Everyone is jumpy, the slightest unusual sound makes for unrest. Yet last night at the Union Square vigil the entire park was lit up not only by the candles, endless candles, there was a huge peace sign made with candles, but by the presence of so many people. And then there was this couple, walking on black stilts, dressed completely in black cat suits, head to toe, with pieces of broken glass glued on. They were walking and torking their bodies, two eerie symbolic figures of the towers making their way through the crowd.
With grace and humility,
Val |
WTC eMails
Sat, 15 Sep 2001
Subject: Needed items at Pier 40 and other info
Sun, 16 Sep 2001
Subject: Down to specifics
Sun, 16 Sep 2001
Subject: Important update
Sun, 16 Sep 2001
Subject: [Fwd: Laptops needed for recovery effort!]
Tue, 18 Sep 2001
Subject: American flags and Vicks and other info
Fri, 21 Sep 2001
Subject: Support station
Sat, 22 Sep 2001
Subject: Central Park Event Sunday
Sat, 29 Sep 2001
Subject: Supplies direct to Ground Zero
Sun, 30 Sep 2001
Subject: General supply list for Ground Zero
Mon, 01 Oct 2001
Subject: Direct observation
Thu, 04 Oct 2001
Subject: Teddy bears and the electric cross
Mon, 08 Oct 2001
Subject: First writing since
Tue, 09 Oct 2001
Subject: as it gets colder
Sat, 13 Oct 2001
Subject: massage therapists needed
Sat, 20 Oct 2001
Subject: Busier than ever
Tue, 23 Oct 2001
Subject: The Spirits of Permanent Midnight
Fri, 26 Oct 2001
Subject: rational information
Sat, 10 Nov 2001
Subject: Lots of news
Tue, 13 Nov 2001
Subject: Far Rockaway
Tue, 11 Dec 2001
Subject: Volunteers with cars needed
Sat, 15 Dec 2001
Subject: Tribute concert 3/11/02 & Universal Love 4 Kids CD/mp3's/
Tue, 18 Dec 2001
Subject: Holiday Events - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!! - We'll Carry On
Thu, 10 Jan 2002
Subject: Volunteers needed
Sun, 20 Jan 2002
Subject: Volunteers needed
Mon, 11 Feb 2002
Subject: NY Times article & 3/11/2002 tribute concert
Fri, 08 Mar 2002
Subject: 3/11/2002 tribute concert/'challenge' grant information
Wed, 13 Mar 2002
Subject: NY Times article about 3/11 concert
Sun, 17 Mar 2002
Subject: PAPD travelling Memorial
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