Barbara “Bobbie” Platt

Written By Tony Mussari
Copyright 2012
Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD
The Face of America Project

America lost one of its best this week. 

Her name will not appear in the headlines of any newspaper. It will not be number one in a Google search of famous people. There will be no testimonials on the national news, and very few people will know of her passing.

That’s exactly the way she would want it; no fuss, no fanfare, no fame, no public display of emotion.

Barbara Platt was a tiny woman with enormous talent and a heart as big as the moon. When she and her husband moved to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in 1955, she found her passion. For more than 50 years she studied the Gettysburg National Battlefield, and she gave generously of her time to help preserve this national treasure.

Her book, This Is Sacred Ground, is one of a few books written about the battlefield not the battle. It has received four star reviews from people who have read it. “Civil War Librarian” selected it as one of the top ten books about Gettysburg most frequently consulted and enjoyed:

“Platt’s work may be close to one of a kind, having a clear focus on the acres in the park’s boundaries but not becoming overwhelmed by the myths and realities of interpreting the battle.”

If you visit Gettysburg and you stay at the Doubleday Inn Bed and Breakfast, you will receive a complimentary, autographed copy of what is described as “the most comprehensive history of the Gettysburg Battlefield since those 3 days in July, 1863”

Since its publication in 2001, Barbara had been a fixture in the gift shop at the Visitors’ Center. Almost every day of the week, she sat for hours talking with visitors and autographing copies of her book for everyone who purchased it.  This is where we met, and this is where our friendship took flight.

During our Face of America journey, we visited Gettysburg five times. It was my good fortune to have the pleasure of Barbara’s company at lunch during four of these visits. We had a good number of telephone conversations, and Barbara provided feedback for our book, America at Its Best.

Bobbie, as she was affectionately known to her friends, Kitch and I had much in common; a love of history, a compulsion to write, an interest in little known, but inspirational stories of hope and service, a love of animals and an heroic battle with cancer.

Bobbie knew the insidiousness of cancer in very real and personal ways. She battled breast cancer and she defied the odds. She had compassionate and very helpful advice for Kitch during her battle with breast cancer. “I don’t think about it,” she told us, “I just live my life, and do what I want to do.”

Recently, a very aggressive form of breast cancer resurfaced, and Bobby resumed chemotherapy. Nevertheless, when I asked her to sit for an interview for our documentary about battling cancer, she did not hesitate. She arranged all the details for our visit to the Gettysburg National Military Park. She was a perfect hostess.

During the interview, she was courageous, forthright and purposeful. She provided a priceless interview. At one point she looked at me and said, “I know we all have to die.  I would like to beat this thing so I can be here for the 150th anniversary of the battle.”

After the interview she introduced us to several people who work for the National Park Service. During these encounters, I detected great warmth, and respect. The people we met admired and liked Bobbie. You could see it in their warm embraces and their welcoming smiles when they greeted and talked with Bobbie.  

Unfortunately, Bobby did not get her wish.  She will not be here to celebrate the anniversary of the battle, and we will not be the beneficiaries of her deep understanding of what took place here in 1863. Cancer took her life and as the African saying goes, with her death we lost a library of priceless information and nuance.

During our first interview in 2010, Bobbie said something about Gettysburg that made an indelible mark on my soul. She was talking about the men who waged war in this sacred place and the public spirited men and women who have dedicated themselves to preserving this sacred ground:

You have to believe in something, if you are going to be successful, if you are going to make any contribution. I think that the men who fought here loved their country. I think that in the past few years we’ve had people leading this park who loved it and understood what the sacrifice was. If you have love, you have a lot going for you.

While studying the battlefield where 160,000 combatants engaged in the most brutal form of warfare producing 51,000 casualties, Barbara Platt, discovered the power of compassion, faith, honor, historical preservation, perseverance, respect, thoughtfulness, tolerance and love. She spent the last 11 years of her life sharing these healing gifts with everyone she met.

Barbara Platt – wife, mother, student, expert, friend, volunteer, and animal lover was an extraordinary woman. Those of us who knew her felt her love, and we were enriched and inspired by her quiet, humble, direct and no nonsense way.

America has lost one of its best public spirited citizens. She died the way she lived, courageously and quietly with dignity and class. She is a Face of America Kitch and I will never forget because she exemplified what America is on its best days. She was honest, thoughtful, helpful, loyal, tolerant and full of optimism and hope.

Her life gave truth to her words, “If you have love, you have a lot going for you.”

The words of one of her heroes Abraham Lincoln apply:

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.”

Thank you, Bobbie for showing us the way. You will be remembered with admiration, and you will be missed in all the ways that matter. May God have mercy on your soul.

Please provide feedback to:
Tony.Mussari@gmail.com

(The Picture of Bobbie Platt in her volunteer uniform courtesy of The Gettysburg National Military Park.)

Walking With Justice

Written By Tony Mussari
Copyright 2012
Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD
The Face of America Project
faceofamericawps.com
tony.mussari@gmail.com

Mollie Marti is a wife, mother, lawyer, teacher, writer, coach and friend. She is one of the kindest people Kitch and I met during our journey across America. Born, raised and educated in Iowa, she has accomplished much in her lifetime, but she has remained true to the principles of family, faith and friendship commonly known as “Iowa Nice.”

In 1991, Mollie joined an elite group of young law clerks who were carefully selected by Judge Max Rosenn, United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and her life was changed forever.

This week Mollie came to our hometown to promote her book, Walking with Justice. It is the story about what she learned from her mentor, Judge Max Rosenn, and why he is “A Man for All Seasons.”

Mollie’s account of Judge Rosenn’s life lessons is compelling, thoughtful and artfully told with the conviction and compassion of a caring heart. In so many ways, it is a manual for what one should expect from a mentor, and a blueprint for what America is on its best day.

During Mollie’s visit, Kitch and I had several priceless moments talking with Mollie and recording images of Mollie interacting with friends, colleagues and perfect strangers who came to purchase her book.

There were many warm hugs of friendship and reunion, but one moment that left an indelible mark on my soul happened when a student approached the table where she was signing books at Barnes & Noble. He had been watching Mollie from afar, and he finally summoned enough courage to approach her.

What happened next was quintessential Mollie Marti. The student did not have enough money to purchase the book so Mollie gave him an autographed copy of a summary of the book.  

The boy was stunned, and I was fortunate enough to capture this special moment for Mollie and her family. The expression on the boy’s face says it all.

In a way, this was vintage Mollie. She is a warm, welcoming woman with a heart of gold and a spirit that gives freely of her talents to help others.

It is also a statement about the man who taught her to write her legacy every day of the week.

The man she calls “life’s greatest mentor” would be very proud of his former student and the legacy she is building one day at a time, one person at a time, one opportunity to serve at a time.

In my mind’s eye, there is a quotation in Walking with Justice that captures the essence of Judge Rosenn and the brilliance of Mollie’s work:

“Helping others in need is not only a responsibility of life; it is what gives meaning to life.”

Mollie Marti and Judge Max Rosen united again in a book that will make you feel good about the law, the judicial system and America. It was written by a genuine Face of America about a man whose life defined all that is good, decent and inspiring about America at its best.

It doesn’t get much better than that.

Please provide feedback to:
tony.mussari@gmail.com

Serendipity: Meeting Holly Berry

Written By Tony Mussari
Copyright 2012
Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD
The Face of America Project
faceofamericawps.com
tony.mussari@gmail.com

“Serendipity. Look for something, find something else, and realize that what you’ve found is more suited to your needs than what you thought you were looking for.”  Lawrence Block

I drove into the parking lot of Luzerne Lumber shortly after noon on an unseasonably warm January day.  My mission was simple. I was looking for a package of roofing nails. I needed them to make a temporary repair to a section of our roof that was damaged during the fall storms that devastated parts of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Why did I wait so long, you ask?

The answer is too long and too complicated to relate here, but I will tell you that my responsibilities as a caregiver for my wife who was battling cancer at the time had something to do with the delays. Faulty work by a contractor who promised us the world and left us holding the bag had a great deal more to do with it.

That was yesterday.  On this day my course was charted and I was determined to get the work done before real January weather arrived.

As I made my way across the parking lot to the store, I thought to myself, there are more cars in this lot than I have ever seen.

When I opened the door, an overflow crowd occupied virtually every square foot of space. Most of these people were not there to shop. They were there to celebrate the birthday of an employee, Holly Berry, who had just learned that her treatment for breast cancer was officially over.

It was a moment that rivaled any of the best Hollywood crescendo moments, and wouldn’t you know, I was without my digital camera. A 20-minute return trip corrected that.

When I returned to the store many of the guests had left, but it was my good fortune that Holly Berry, two of her children and her father were on the premises.  They agreed to visit with me so I could take some pictures and talk with them about the event.

Holly is the mother of four children.  Her dad is a distinguished looking man whose face bears the scars left by the premature loss of his wife to breast cancer and the anxiety ridden months of his daughter’s battle with breast cancer.

Holly works at Luzerne Lumber. She has taken it upon herself to inform everyone who will listen about the danger of breast cancer. The owners of the store have been very supportive of Holly.  Her friends, family and coworkers spearheaded a fundraising campaign. The pink angels customers purchase to honor loved ones who have battled the disease are displayed in a prominent place in the store. They give testimony to the success of the campaign.

During a previous visit to the store, I purchased an angel for Kitch.

Holly Berry is a woman of dignity and class. She conducts herself in a very impressive way. When she talks about her situation, she speaks from her heart. She knows the disease as a caregiver for her mother and as a patient, and she is quick to point out that it is more difficult to be a caregiver.

The most important lesson she learned from her experience is not to take life for granted, and to use time wisely.

She has kind words for Dr. Dan Kopen who was wonderful to her mother when she was his patient.  They were students at Wilkes College, and they knew one another during their college years.

Holly was equally positive about her experience at Fox Chase where she decided to have her treatments.

When I asked Holly what she intends to do with the rest of her life, she did not hesitate:

“I intend to live each day as a gift.”

Holly Berry is a face of America on its best day.  She personifies the kind of courage, determination and value based-leadership that cancer patients need to survive. She is optimistic about her future, and she is going to make the best of whatever she will encounter. She is not angry.  She does not feel sorry for herself, and she does not lament what has happened to her.

Everyone should have a neighbor or friend like Holly Berry, and everyone should have employers like the people who own and operate Luzerne Lumber. 

In that store on that day, it was serendipitous that I saw America at its best. It is an image and a memory that will last forever.

Please provide feedback to:

tony.mussari@gmail.com

Service with a Smile and Kind Words to Match

Written By Tony Mussari
Copyright 2012
Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD
The Face of America Project
faceofamericawps.com
tony.mussari@gmail.com

One of the measures of America at its best is service.  Two of our founding fathers, John Adams and Ben Franklin, penned words about service that are popular to this day:

“If we do not lay out ourselves in the service of mankind whom should we serve?”

“Well done is better than well said.”

Translated into aphorisms that define the concept of client service, I would offer these:

“The customer is always right.”

“The customer is King.”

Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart had very strong feelings about customer service:

“The goal as a company is to have customer service that is not just the best but legendary.”

“There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.”

Service in Action and Word

This week I met a woman who personifies all of the characteristics of customer service at its best.

Debbie Heberling is the manager of the hardware department at our local Wal-Mart store. When I called the store to ask about the availability of a Brinks Corded Motion Light, she greeted me in very welcoming way. She explained that she had not been in her department for three weeks, but she would walk to the aisle where the lights were displayed, and look for the product.

She took her time.  She was not inconvenienced by my request.  She was more than willing to be helpful, and she eventually found what she thought at the time was the right product.

She brought the light to a central location, and she made arrangements for me to pick it up.

When I thanked her for the time and effort she invested in the transaction, she said something that made a lasting impression:

“I am more than happy to help you. Without satisfied customers, I would not have a job.”

What a refreshing and thoughtful thing to say to a customer.  It made my day.

When I went to the store, the product was exactly where she said it would be and it had my name on it.

I asked for Debbie, and I was told she was working at register 20. I wanted to thank her, so I made my way to the register. We had a very pleasant discussion, and then I asked for the manager to record my satisfaction with Debbie’s accommodating service.

With that done, I walked to my car, and I drove home.

When I opened the box, I was surprised to find a light that was not corded. Neither Debbie nor I thought it necessary to open the box in the store.

When I made contact with Debbie to tell her what happened, she did not hesitate to apologize for the inconvenience. She took full responsibility for the inconvenience and she volunteered to do everything in her power to fix the situation.

“I am embarrassed,” she said, “when things like this happen. I do not like it when my department is disorganized. I take pride in my work, and I like to help customers.”

So what’s the bottom line here?

If every employee and department manager went to the client service school of Debbie Heberling every shopping experience would be pleasant and productive.

Please provide feedback to:

tony.mussari@gmail.com

Dickens: The Meaning of Christmas

By Kitch & Tony Mussari
Copyright 2011
Mussari-Loftus Associates
The Face of America Project
faceofamericawps.com,
tony.mussari@gmail.com

“A Loving heart is the truest wisdom.” Charles Dickens

An Evening with Dickens

Charles Dickens road to becoming the greatest writer of his time was not paved with gold. On the contrary, it was paved with abandonment, disappointment, and misery. As a child, he had all the road rashes the mean streets of London had to offer.

Sensitive by nature, self-educated by circumstance and purpose, in his 58 years on this planet he wrote 15 novels, several short stories, and many articles. Some would argue that Charles Dickens is the man who rescued Christmas. For that alone, we are in his debt.

David Purdue tells his readers that “Charles Dickens has probably had more influence on the way that we celebrate Christmas today than any single individual in human history…except One.”

On a sunny December afternoon, Kitch and I drove to North Plainfield, New Jersey, to see a student production of A Christmas Carol. Tom Mazur, Supervisor of Fine Arts at the North Plainfield High School, produced the play, and he wrote the musical score. The play showcased the talent of students, faculty and staff who brought Dickens and his “Carol Philosophy” alive in an outstanding and memorable way.

In my mind’s eye, A Christmas Carol is a story about redemption and transformation. It is a story that touches the human heart, and it leaves a permanent mark on one’s soul. Dickens presents a holiday season that, in his words, is "a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of other people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys."

Scrooge and Us

Essentially, the play is about a successful, unlikable, and miserly businessman named Scrooge who is traumatized into becoming a man of Christmas light and caring.

If you look carefully beneath the surface, it is about those of us who, like Scrooge, are in the race of a lifetime to make it and make it big. In the process, we risk losing our humanness. On our darkest nights, we may lose our capacity to feel the pain of others as well as our compassion and tolerance for people who are hurting and need help.

Watching the diverse cast of actors and actresses in North Plainfield perform Dickens play 169 years after it was written for audiences in Victorian England, it became a living statement about America at its best. It became a vehicle to showcase a place where people of many different backgrounds and cultures live in peace, harmony and understanding. They may have been wearing costumes that spoke to another time and place, but the smiles of joy and participation spoke to a place where one finds community, harmony and support. A community where there is no “brown bag” test, no color line, and no cultural exclusion.

Words of Transformation

The production of A Christmas Carol Kitch and I saw in North Plainfield took Dickens words to a new and inspiring level where every gender, race, religion, and ethnicity had an equal share in the blessings of life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and excellence. At one point in the play, 60 students and adults graced the stage. Together they formed a vibrant, human collage composed of many different countries of origin, cultures, religions, and skin tones. It was a powerful image that spoke silently, but effectively, to the words of Dickens:

“I wear the chain I forged in life….I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it.”

“It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself.”

“It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing so irresistibly contagious as laughter.”

"There are some upon this earth of yours, who lay claim to know us, and who do their deeds of passion, pride, ill-will, hatred, envy, bigotry, and selfishness in our name, who are as strange to us and all our kith and kin, as if they had never lived. Remember that, and charge their doings on themselves, not us."

"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide; and, if that spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death."

“Ghost of the Future, I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear you company, and do it with a thankful heart. Will you not speak to me?"

The play ended to enthusiastic applause. We said our farewells, and we returned to our temporary home at the Hampton Inn. It was late, but I could not sleep. My mind and body were restless so I searched the internet for a script of Dickens play. After about an hour of reading, I came upon these priceless words:

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone!"

As I right mouse clicked to end the session, I thought to myself, this is all I need to know and practice to make every day of the year a good day for Kitch, a good day for the people we meet, and a good day for America.

Thank you, Charles Dickens.

Thank you, Tom Mazur

Thank you, students, teachers, administrators and staff of North Plainfield.

"God bless us every one!"

Tony & Kitch Mussari
Producers
The Face of America Project
Please provide feedback to:
tony.mussari@gmail.com

Once in a Lifetime

By Kitch & Tony Mussari
Copyright 2011
Mussari-Loftus Associates
The Face of America Project
faceofamericawps.com,
tony.mussari@gmail.com

“You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” John Wooden

A Perfect Day 

Some days are better than others, Tuesday, December 6, was one of the best days of my life. It began with a screening of our documentary, Shanksville, PA: A Place of Transformation, for an auditorium filled with attentive and enthusiastic high school students in North Plainfield, New Jersey.  It continued when Kitch and I had dinner with Vicki and Daniel Perez, the parents of 2LT Emily Perez. It ended with a community screening and several pleasant surprises.

It was a day of affirmation, enthusiasm, flexibility, loyalty, service and teamwork. These are values Kitch and I celebrated and taught for many years. We believe they are the foundation of personal leadership and community service.  On this day, Kitch and I experienced the healing warmth of these words in real and personal ways.

The day began early in the morning, I was traveling solo. Kitch needed time to rest. She was approaching the first anniversary of her battle with breast cancer. Her recovery was coming along nicely, but her body was still recovering from the effects of chemotherapy and radiation. She needed time to slow down and rest. We had been on the road for three days, and she wanted to have the energy she would need for what we both knew would be a long and emotional night.

In my rush to get to the high school, I managed to forget one of the essential elements for my presentation, my “Miracle Shirt.” Given to me by my last class, I wanted to wear it during the morning assembly as I had done the day before to connect with the students and honor their participation in the event.

When I realized I had forgotten the shirt, I was disappointed and frustrated. It did not take but a few minutes to find a volunteer who was willing to make the trip the Hampton Inn in South Plainfield, to get the shirt and rescue the moment.

It may seem like a small thing, but, in my mind, it was a huge and thoughtful gift of friendship. I will always be grateful to Skip Pulcrano who literally saved the day.

The screening was flawless. The students were respectful, responsive and very enthusiastic. I got the impression they wanted to be there.  They wanted to celebrate the moment, the memory and the meaning of what they were seeing hearing and learning. I enjoyed every minute I spent with them.

It never ceases to amaze me how welcoming the North Plainfield students are. They love their school. They are impressive ambassadors for the power and promise of diversity.  On this Tuesday morning, they made their parents and their teachers proud, and they made me feel like I belonged.

As I looked out at the audience, it was clear to me that something special is happening in North Plainfield. It was also clear that I was looking into the face and the future of America’s tomorrow. These students do not have a sense of entitlement. Many of them know how difficult life can be.  They do not lament.  They do not complain. They make the most of what they have. They are earnest, genuine, full of energy, hope, kindness and optimism.  They want to make a better life for themselves. They care about people who are hurting.  

In 2010, the students in this high school participated in a fundraising event they called "Canuckapalooza."  They raised $17,000 for items to send to our troops in Iraq. This year the students raised $16,000 for the American Cancer Society.

That same spirit of caring was central to a conversation I had with a student before I left the auditorium.

After the assembly ended, a student made her way to the front of the room where a small group of students had gathered to offer feedback. I caught a glimpse of this young woman out of the corner of my eye.  She seemed to be waiting for a private moment. When the opportunity presented itself, she stepped forward. She offered kind words about the screening, and she expressed concern about Kitch. Then, she shared a poignant story about cancer and how it had affected her life. She showed me a tattoo on her wrist that spoke to her pain.  At the end of her story, tears filled her eyes when she said, “I know how hard cancer can be, and I want you to know that your wife will be in my prayers.”

I don’t know her name. I did not get her e-mail address, but I will never forget her face and the sincerity of her comments.  In my opinion, she is a face of North Plainfield High School at its very best.

Dinner with Friends

"Who finds a faithful friend, finds a treasure." Jewish Saying

By every measure Vicki and Daniel Perez are a treasure to everyone who knows them. Kitch and I came late to the banquet that is their life, but we are grateful for every moment we have spent with them during the past two years.

Vicki and Daniel gave America and West Point the gift of their daughter Emily. Her death in Iraq one year after she graduated from West Point changed their life in ways they never thought possible.  It turned their life upside down, and it filled their hearts with unimaginable emptiness. By everyone’s measure, Emily Perez personified all of the virtues the ancients associated with greatness: generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.

Filled with grief, they refused to give up and give in, they refused to lay blame, and they refused to be consumed with anger. On the contrary, they did something that would keep Emily’s Legacy alive and help young women realize their dream.  They founded Emily’s Way, The Emily J. T. Perez Foundation. The centerpiece of the foundation is a mentoring program for young women in the Washington D.C. area.

Because of their work to keep Emily’s memory alive, Kitch and I have become fast friends with Daniel and Vicki.

On this day they drove to North Plainfield to share this special moment in our life. During dinner we talked about their work, their family and some of the challenges they face.

Daniel was recently diagnosed with Diabetes. He and Kitch shared several ways to use diet to help manage sugar levels. Kitch and Vicki have a common interest in the book and the movie “The Help.” Vickie was born and raised in Texas. For her and the members of her family, the stories in the book are real life experiences.

Daniel and Vickie are people of faith. Not a proselytizing, in-your-face, I am better than you are kind of faith.  Theirs is a gentile, loving, sharing faith that permeates everything they do and everything they are. They are people whose actions speak louder than words. They are filled with the spirit of loving kindness. When you are with them, you learn, you grow, and you become a better person because of their peaceful spirit and positive example.

You can feel their pain, and you are inspired by their courage, compassion and commitment.

Their visit to North Plainfield provided Kitch and me with an opportunity to say thank you for their gift of friendship.

Eight words on a card we received from our friend Carol Matinas best describe the nature of our friendship with Vicki and Daniel Perez:

“Friendship is a promise made in the heart.”

Thank you, Vicki and Daniel for helping us tell Emily’s Story.

Thank you North Plainfield for helping us tell the Shanksville story.

(In Part 5, we will continue the story of our perfect day in North Plainfield.)

Tony & Kitch Mussari
Producers
The Face of America Project
Please provide feedback to:
tony.mussari@gmail.com

A Perfect Day

Written By Tony Mussari
Photographs By By Kitch Mussari and Pierre Lehu
Copyright 2011
Mussari-Loftus Associates
The Face of America Project
faceofamericawps.com,
tony.mussari@gmail.com

“Celebration is a kind of food we all need in our lives.” Corita Kent and Jan Steward

Moments to Remember

The public screening in North Plainfield was a first class celebration in every sense of the word.  The people who attended were filled with the spirit of community. Among the guests were members of the North Plainfield Board of Education, the Mayor of North Plainfield, students, teachers, parents and administrators from the school district, friends of cheerleading coach Skip Pulcrano and members of the cheerleading squad, people who befriended Kitch and me during our days in the classroom, and our life at J.P. Morgn. Friends we made producing documentary films and new friends from our Face of America Journey.

At the appointed hour, Principal Jerard Stephenson welcomed everyone. The JROTC Color Guard posted the colors. Tom Mazur conducted a beautiful rendition of our National Anthem sung by the high school chorus. Jo Ann Biviano played and sang her inspirational 9/11 anthem, I’ll Always Remember with the accompaniment of the high school chorus.

Dr. Marilyn Birnbaum, Superintendent of Schools, provided context and set the tone for the screening with a thoughtful introduction of the documentary.  

When I reached the podium to present a brief speech entitled “Thinking About North Plainfield,” just about every conceivable emotion of accomplishment, joy and gratitude filled my heart with words that were not in the text. I intended to begin with John Steinbeck’s quotation, “A journey is a person in itself, no two are alike.” Overwhelmed by the moment, the words that came out of my mind reflected the feelings in my heart:

“I wish I could open my chest cavity and put my heart on display so you could see the gratitude and thanks I am feeling at this moment.”

When I looked into Kitch’s eyes I had a flashback to the screening in this room just about one year ago.  It was the day after we first heard the words breast cancer. On this night we were reasonable certain that after a year of battling this monster, Kitch was cancer free.

At one point in the presentation, my eyes met those of Marilyn Birnbaum, a woman I admire and respect. I went off script to tell her publically she is one of the finest educators I have ever known. She is an educational leader who knows that education is as much about planting seeds as it is about achieving outstanding test scores.

Vicki and Daniel Perez were sitting in the third row next to Kitch. I wanted them to feel at home in this school where I believed their daughter, Emily, would feel at home. To  make them feel comfortable, we produced a short film titled Emily’s Legacy. I used these words to introduce the film:

I think it is appropriate to begin this screening with a short video Kitch and I produced this week about Emily.  I believe it will connect the dots and make it perfectly clear why we love the students of this school, why we admire their teachers, why we are indebted to their principal, Jerard Stephenson, their wonderful superintendant Dr. Marilyn Birnbaum who has been so supportive of our work, and the exemplary board of education charged with running this school system. They are producing Emilys every day of the week, and they are doing it in a quality way, one lesson and one step at a time.

To be honest, I fell in love with the spirit of North Plainfield, the kindness of North Plainfield and the welcoming way of the people in this high school. That love inspired an old man to push himself very hard to document, in the best way he could, what, in my opinion, makes this place so special.

During my first visit here in 2009, it was obvious that something very compelling was happening in this high school.  I could see it in the faces of the students, their teachers, their coaches, their administrators and their parents. I could feel it in my heart, and I was drawn in by its beauty, magnetism and inspiration.

There is a fundamental goodness, eagerness, wonder and gratitude about the people I met here, the events I recorded here and the back story about life here.

You can watch Emily’s Legacy at this address:

http://faceofamericawps.com/video/emilys-legacy/

To thank the person who did the lion’s share of the work to make this night happen, I composed these words:

There is one other person I would like to thank. He is a man I affectionately refer to as my brother. He is the architect of the series of events that culminated in this screening, Tom Mazur. Without Tom’s attention to detail, competence and caring heart, we would not have this evening of celebration.

To paraphrase the words from your masterful production of A Christmas Carol and Charles Dickens’ hand: I am proud to wear the golden chain of friendship forged in North Plainfield with Tom Mazur.

The speech ended with two quotations from Dickens:

I am so thankful our trip took Kitch and me across America by way of North Plainfield, New Jersey, because it gave meaning to the words of Charles Dickens:

“A loving heart is the truest wisdom.” In North Plainfield, you learn to have “a heart that never hardens, a temper that never tires and a touch that never hurts.”

A Bump in the Road and an Unexpected Surprise

For Kitch and me public screenings are an anxious time. Not only do we worry about how the documentary will be received, we also worry about all of the technical things that can go wrong.

During this event, everything seemed to be going well. The audience reacted to various parts of the film in the way we anticipated they would. The sound system worked well, and the images looked good on the screen. Then, the unexpected happened. As the story was about to end, the laptop computer playing the DVD froze, not once or twice but several times. After waiting a few minutes for the situation to be corrected, I walked to the front of auditorium to apologize for the glitch.

The words spoken earlier in the documentary by Guedis Cardenas were tailor made for this situation:

“Life is not a perfect piece of paper.  It’s actually crumbled. There’s wrinkles that represent the ups and downs of our life.”

The audience responded positively when I repeated these words, and we transitioned  to a moment Kitch and I had been planning for several weeks.  We asked Vicki and Daniel Perez, Marilyn Birnbaum and Linda Bond-Nelson, president of the board of education to join us in the front of the room.

They obliged.

Daniel Perez offered warm remarks of celebration and gratitude before he and Vicki presented a beautiful picture of his daughter to Dr. Birnbaum and Mrs. Bond-Nelson. The photograph will hang in the school library next to a picture of Rev. Martin Luther King. It is our hope that these images will inspire the students to believe in their dreams and do their very best to achieve them.   

Before Vicki and Daniel took their seats, Kitch and I presented them with a tracing of Emily’s name and other artifacts we collected in her honor at the Middle East Conflicts Memorial Wall in Marseilles, Illinois, during our Face of America Journey.  The expression on their faces and the warm hugs of friendship and gratitude they extended made this the very best moment of the night for Kitch and me.

An Honor Like No Other

Little did we know or expect what was about to happen. Skip Pulcrano, coach of the North Plainfield Cheerleaders came to the podium to talk about the accomplishments of his squad. He introduced the Mayor Michael Giordano, Jr. who complimented the cheerleaders before he presented a proclamation recognizing the squad.

Then he invited Kitch and me to join him on the stage. Not knowing what to expect, we climbed the six steps to the stage, and we positioned ourselves next to the mayor.  He began reading from a framed proclamation words that honored our work and humbled our souls. The final paragraph of the proclamation literally took our breath away:

“I do hereby proclaim the sixth day of every December as Dr. Anthony and Kathleen Mussari day so that our students and community will always remember the honor and distinction they have graciously delivered to the Borough of North Plainfield.”

This is a moment we will treasure for the rest of our life. Our response to this honor can be found at this address:

http://faceofamericawps.com/face-of-america-producers-honored/

In keeping with our tradition, Kitch and I presented a gratitude gift to students who appeared in the film, and people in the school district who helped us make this dream become a reality. After speaking with a number of people who volunteered their thoughts about the evening, we walked to the school cafeteria for refreshments, photographs and conversations about the evening and the beautiful memories it created.

Later I returned to the auditorium to carefully pack a beautiful piece of art. It was made by a group of elementary students under the direction of Joanne Wendt. It speaks to everything the screening was about. Mrs. Wendt graciously told me I could have it as a souvenir. It will always have a prominent place in the room where I work.  It reminds me of the beautiful memories of this once-in-a-lifetime experience. It and the students who made it are a statement about what America is on its best days: service to others; kindness to others: caring about others and using one’s talent to help others.

A few days after the event, we received a note from Tony Richel, a retired superintendent of schools who attended the screening.

Tony and Kitch:

You are to be commended for the time and effort and most of all, your patriotism in producing the video "Shanksville, PA: A Place of Transformation."  Your presentation was excellent.  One could observe the passion that you have for this tragedy on our nation.  You are right.  We must never forget!

I am positive that what I saw will have a lasting impression on me, the students of North Plainfield and the town.  Pat has told me so much about your work and I was finally able to see it first-hand.

Thank you.
Tony Richel

Some days are better than others. December 6, is about as perfect a day as Kitch and I will ever have.

Thank you, North Plainfield for making it happen.

Thank you, North Plainfield students for sharing your stories.

Thank you, Janie, Chuck, Jayne, Val, and Sue for making us welcome in Shanksville for ten wonderful years.

Thank you, Joanne for permitting us to be ambassadors of the 9/11 remembrance Flag.

Thank you, Vicki and Daniel for giving America the gift of your daughter and your courageous example.

Thank you, Kitch for believing in the dream and the dreamer.

Thank you, America for giving us the freedom to do this work.

You can be sure that our search for the Face of America on its best day will continue, and our journey across America will always take us home to North Plainfield.

Tony & Kitch Mussari
Producers
The Face of America Project
Please provide feedback to:
tony.mussari@gmail.com