Thinking about America on Memorial Day

Written by Tony Mussari
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Copyright 2013
Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD
The Face of America Project
faceofamericawps.com

I would rather try something great and fail than try nothing and succeed. John Maxwell

Last week while Kitch and her cousin, Jeanna Lawrence, visited cemeteries in Lackawanna County, I made my way to three cemeteries in Luzerne County to pay my respects to  my parents, my teacher, my grandmother and two of the finest men I have ever known, Jack Edwards and Andy Sokol.

Standing in the silence of remembering, my heart swelled with thoughts of gratitude for the sacrifices these people made to make a better life for their children, their community and their country.

My grandmother immigrated to America. She built a successful business in a small neighborhood store. She raised her family and she provided an excellent example of why people risked everything to come to America.  She was a small woman in stature, but she had a mighty influence on everyone who met her.

My parents were first generation Americans. Their life was lived quietly, patriotically and lovingly for their three children. They were good, decent, caring people of deep religious faith and industry. My brother, sister and I have what we have because they encouraged us to do our very best at whatever we were doing and to never give up. For them perseverance was the secret to success. They never gave up on us, and we never turned away from an opportunity to make them proud of us.

Their motto was simple and direct: work hard, be humble, get a good education, don’t settle for being adequate, strive to be the best, and give something back to your family, your friends and your community.

My teacher, Sr. Mary Hilary, R.S.M., reminded me of my mother.  She too was small in stature. In everything else, she was a giant. She challenged her students to do more and complain less, to give more and take less, to be more, and learn more about God, country and family. To this day, she is at the center of everything I believe, do and accomplish. Every day, I can hear her encouraging me to take it one step at a time, and make sure my goal is to make it the very best it can be.

Jack Edwards and Andy Sokol are two of my heroes. They are perfect representatives of the Greatest Generation. They were just kids when they went to Europe to stop the march of totalitarianism.  They personified courage, honor, selfless service and valor of the most beautiful and effective kind. They wanted to make a better world, and they did.

More than half a century later, 2d Lt. Emily Perez, a member of the New Greatest Generation did the exact same thing in Iraq. Kitch and I are humbled by her dedication and service. We are inspired by her courage, and we will never forget the ultimate sacrifice she made for the country she loved.

In so many ways, this is their day. They and all their brothers and sisters who have reached “the silent home of the living” deserve to be remembered with admiration, affection and gratitude.

They personified the reason for this day so beautifully described by the father of Memorial Day, Major General John A. Logan in 1868:

(It)is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet church-yard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.

They reflect the spirit of this day captured perfectly by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863, at Gettysburg:

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

They personify the words of Lincoln’s favorite poem, “Mortality”:

Oh! why should the spirit of mortal be proud?
Like a swift-fleeting meteor, a fast-flying cloud
A flash of the lightning, a break of the wave
He passeth from life to his rest in the grave.

The leaves of the oak and the willow shall fade,
Be scattered around, and together be laid;
And the young and the old, and the low and the high,
Shall moulder to dust, and together shall lie.

We do what we do on this day, because we want their spirit to remain in our hearts and in our deeds forever.

To adapt the words Henry Deming used to eulogize Lincoln:

They are our index of character, common sense, simplicity, strength, devotion, equanimity, and success in all the ways that matter;

They continued Lincoln’s legacy of teaching the world a new idea of greatness.

On this day, we thank them in private and public ways as we think about our parents and teachers who exemplified for us what America is at its very best.

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

Happy Mother’s Day

Written by Tony Mussari
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Copyright 2013
Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD
The Face of America Project
faceofamericawps.com

During her interview with Marty Wolff for the Business Builders Show, I heard Liz Zygmunt say three things that made a lot of sense to me:

Motherhood is the most important job;

Being a mother takes everything you have;

Most women are not superwomen. Speaking from experience, I could not do it all.  Moreover, the idea that women can have it all has been discredited.

Elizabeth Zygmunt is an experienced journalist, a respected editor and a committed community leader in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Ask her if these accomplishments are important, and she will most likely say yes, but after a short pause, she will tell you that being a mother is much more important.

Thoughts about Mothers and Motherhood

Her emphasis on motherhood got me thinking, and so I did some research to find out what other prominent people thought about the role their mothers played in their life.

This is a short list of my discoveries:

1. The memory of my mother will always be a blessing to me. Thomas Edison

2. Mother has said that she sees us more as friends than as daughters. That’s all very      
nice, of course, except that a friend can’t take the place of a mother. I need my
mother to set a good example and be a person I can respect, but in most matters         
she’s an example of what not to do. Anne Frank

3. All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother. Abraham Lincoln

4. To have had a Mother—how mighty! Emily Dickinson

5. Men are what their mothers made them. Ralph Waldo Emerson

6. My mother had a slender, small body, but a large heart – a heart so large that everybody’s joys found welcome in it, and hospitable accommodation. Mark Twain

7, The mother’s heart is the child’s schoolroom. Henry Ward Beecher

8. To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Maya Angelou

9. Whatever else is unsure in this stinking dunghill of a world a mother’s love is not. James Joyce

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., put his thoughts about motherhood in rhyme:

Youth fades; love droops, the leaves of friendship fall;
A mother’s secret hope outlives them all.

In 1915, Howard Johnson and Theodore Morse wrote these beautiful and poignant lyrics for their song Mother

M Is for the Many things she gave me,
O Means only that she’s growing Old.
T Is for the Tears she shed to save me,
H Is for her Heart of purest gold.
E Is for her Eyes with love light shining,
R Means Right and Right she’ll always be.
Put them all together, They spell MOTHER.
A word that means the world to me.

I don’t know about you, but all of the above describe the mothers God gave Kitch and me. We are eternally grateful for all they did to help us find our way.

The words of Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., apply. Our mothers carried the key to our souls in their bosoms.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers we met on our Face of America Journey.  You represent America at its very best!

Please provide feedback to:

tony.mussari@gmail.com

Adriana Trigiani Shares Her Gift of Light

Mention Adriana Trigiani’s name and Kitch’s face lights up with a smile of admiration and satisfaction. Adriana is her favorite writer. Kitch gets great comfort from Adriana’s stories about her parents and her grandmothers.

On a cold, overcast April day, Adriana Trigiani came to Scranton to tell her life story.

On the day of the lecture, we drove to Scranton to register for library cards at the Albright Memorial Library so we could attend Adriana’s lecture. We skipped supper so we would be among the first in line at the Scranton Cultural Center. We were determined to get seats close to the stage, and we did, third row center aisle!

For us this was more than a night out.  It was an attempt to relieve the pain created by the heartbreaking and heroic events that were playing out in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon.

For almost 90 minutes we listened, laughed and cried during Adriana’s dynamic presentation about immigrants who maximized the opportunities of their new life in the adopted country they loved.

Midnight in America is an expression of gratitude for an inspiring and rejuvenating evening with The Queen of the Big Time.  

To listen to our commentary about Adriana Trigiani, please click the arrow icon next to the title. It may take a few seconds for the file to load.

Midnight in America_Mussari_Loftus

Midnight in America is a production of Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD, 2013, all rights reserved.

To learn more about Adriana Trigiani, please go to:

http:// www.adrianatrigiani.com/

The picture of the aftermath of the Boston Marathon explosions was taken by Aaron Tang on April 15, 2013.

Please provide feedback about the commentary to:

tony.mussari@gmail.com

Screening Walking Into the Light at Gettysburg in North Plainfield, New Jersey

Written by Kitch Loftus
Digital Photographs Tony Mussari
Copyright 2013
The Face of America Project
Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD

When four seventh grade girls appeared at the doors to the auditorium at 6 p.m. and said, “We’re here for the movie,” I knew it was going to be a perfect night. They were smiling and shy.  They proceeded to pick out their seats and settle in. It didn’t matter that they were 30 minutes early.  There were on a mission, and they would not be deterred or distracted.

For the next 30 minutes, people of all ages streamed in the doors, all in upbeat moods, eager to see a documentary about Gettysburg that featured ten students they called their own.

There was electricity in the air when Master of Ceremonies Tom Mazur, Supervisor of Arts at North Plainfield got the evening started with a brief welcome. Then, he introduced Nabil Twyman, a seventh grade student who quietly and confidently took his position at the  perfectly tuned Steinway Grand Piano to play two songs, “Red” and “Blue.” His mother’s face beamed with pride as she used her I-pad to record his masterful performance from her seat in then first row.

When Nabil’s nimble hands played the final notes, the young pianist received a rousing and well-deserved round of applause. Everyone in the room was taken by Nabil’s gift. It was obvious that his future will be bright because his talent is enormous and his personality is humble and giving.

While Nabil walked to his seat in the front row next to his mother, Tom Mazur asked Dr. Marilyn Birnbaum, Superintendent of Schools, to come to the stage to share her thoughts about the evening.  As always, Dr. Birnbaum was courteous, thoughtful and very welcoming. She is the perfect person for the position she holds in North Plainfield. She made everyone feel welcome and at home. The words she used to introduce Tony and the documentary were generous and very kind.

As Tony walked to the stage to talk about the production of Walking Into The Light At Gettysburg, I could feel my heart beating faster. I had some idea of what he was going to say, I had no idea about how it would be received.

Like his hero, Abraham Lincoln, my husband is an aural thinker. Before a big event, he will talk to me about what he intends to say. While he talks, he listens to the words and the concepts and he refines his message. Rarely does he use a printed document. He speaks best when he speaks from his heart. On this occasion he wanted the words to come straight from his heart. When the amplification system failed, he walked to the center of the stage, and he began to tell his story.

He told the audience why he wanted to produce this documentary.  It was a legacy piece for his brother who took him to Gettysburg when he was 15-years-old.  It was a centerpiece of his Face of America project, the three year ongoing search for the characteristics and the people who represent America at its best.  It was a gratitude piece for the students, teachers, administrators and support personnel in North Plainfield, a place he calls his second home. It was a living prayer for his son.

Tony believes that the people who make up the North Plainfield school system reflect the culture, the essence and the spirit of the Face of America on its best day. The richness of the diverse make up of the student body, the faculty and staff, and the sense of common purpose you feel when you are in North Plainfield energizes him and gives him hope that we can solve our problems in a peaceful way. 

He admires the philosophy that is recorded in motivational sayings that are displayed on the walls of schools he visits. He enjoys working with the students in the way any effective teacher enjoys interacting with students. He wanted this documentary and the Gettysburg project he suggested to teachers and administrators to empower students to be their best. He does not believe anyone is entitled to anything without hard work and overcoming obstacles. That has been his life experience, and it remains so even today.

When Tony talked about his son it was all heart. “No one ever asked me why I came to North Plainfield,” Tony said. “Tonight, I would like to answer that question, because this may be my last opportunity to speak to you in this way.”

Then he told the poignant story about his son. “In high school he was Mr. Everything. Today he is homeless, living on the streets, haunted by the demons that began to take over his life when he was in high school. He started out just like the ten wonderful students who traveled to the battlefield with him one year ago. “My son was gifted, intelligent, engaging, motivated and successful in all the ways that matter in high school. He was all state in soccer, a  leading field goal kicker in the state of Ohio, selected as a model, but underneath it all he was hurting and he turned to alcohol and gambling for relief.

“Today, those demons control his life and they impact my life in significant ways. I came here to engage you and to introduce you to values that will help you benefit from my experience. Everything in this film is designed to help you deal with the bumps in the road, to believe in  yourself and your dreams, to be able to see beyond the temptations and the temporary gratifications that entice people to take the easy way.”

Tony encouraged everyone in the audience to read the quotations displayed in the film, to listen with their eyes as well as their hearts to what General Robert E. Lee and President Abraham Lincoln say about failure, and to pay close attention to what the students learned about themselves during their visit to Gettysburg.

Just before he finished his remarks, he said something he has told me privately many times, “I love what I see in North Plainfield, because this is one of the best portraits of the Face of America on its best day.”

(To be continued in Part 2)

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

Screening Walking Into the Light in North Plainfield, New Jersey

Written by Kitch Loftus
Digital Photographs Tony Mussari
Copyright 2013
The Face of America Project
Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD

When Tony left the stage, my heart was beating faster than I can ever remember, and I was experiencing feelings of pride and joy that are impossible to describe. My husband and partner had done the courageous thing. He spoke from his heart with a kind of candor and humility that one seldom hears. His remarks resonated with the audience.

Before he took his seat, Dr. Birnbaum embraced him and thanked him in a warm and family way. It is a frozen frame I will not soon forget.

The lights dimmed. The large crowd settled in with attention and silence. Our company logo and  music announced the beginning of Walking Into the Light at Gettysburg. It was time to sit back and watch what transpired in April 2012 when ten students from North Plainfield first stepped onto the battlefield where 162,000 soldiers engaged in the greatest battle ever fought in the Western Hemisphere

During the screening, the audience was riveted on the sights, the sounds, the images and the stories of General and Mrs. Robert E. Lee, Bruce Rice, a licensed battlefield tour guide, President Abraham Lincoln and the students who are their friends and neighbors.

While the scenes recorded at the Cyclorama, the museum, Culp’s Hill, Little Round Top and the Pennsylvania Monument appeared on the screen, you could hear a pin drop. When General and Mrs. Lee and President Lincoln shared their insights, I could hear the hushed sounds of ohs and ahs.

Thoughtout the film, Tony asked the students to react to each event.

It was evident to those watching the film that individually and as a group, the students were overwhelmed by what they saw and heard. The experience taught them things about Gettysburg and the Civil War that would help them change and grow as individuals and citizens. In some ways, this experiential learning weekend made them different people, more mature, more positive, more grateful, stronger and more willing to try new things and less afraid of failure.

At the end of the film each student had an opportunity to express their feelings and talk about their experiences both on camera before they left Gettysburg.

One month later, several students came to the May meeting of the Board of Education to tell their story.  Adriana Miranda, one of the students who attended the meeting, summarized the trip, the opportunities and the consequences with two words on a sign, Gettysburg Family.

The surprise ending of the documentary caught everyone’s attention.

Before the credits came up, the audience was on its feet, and enthusiastic applause filled the auditorium with the sweet sounds of affirmation and gratitude. The people who came to the screening loved the documentary. They got the message, and they wanted Tony to know how they felt about his work.

When Tony returned to the front of the room, he was overwhelmed by the emotion of the moment.  He looked at the audience with tears of joy in his eyes. I could see him searching the room for the students and their parents. For what seemed like an eternity, he was unable to speak.  Then, he composed himself, and he spoke not only to those attending, but especially to the students in his Gettysburg family.

Pacing the front of the auditorium in the same way I had watched him do in his classroom, he looked into the eyes of the students and he summarized the subtext of the documentary, and the most important messages he wanted to convey in it.

“It’s not about becoming famous. It’s not about making students celebrities. It’s not about getting headlines in the newspaper or on the evening news. It’s not about making a video that will go viral on YouTube,” he said in a voice that was part teacher, part grandfather, part friend. “It’s about finding the best edition of yourself, finding the real meaning of joy, overcoming your fears, believing in yourself and your dreams.”

Looking directly into the eyes of one of the students, he said, “You have so much ability, please don’t reach down for something less than yourself, reach up. Make yourself better.”  
These were genuine moments of love. He was talking to the students, but thinking about his son. He was using his family experience and the Gettysburg experience to encourage these students and remind them of the dangers of the digital age.  

He was pleading with them to cultivate real friendships in real time, not artificial friendships in cyberspace time.

“When things are going well,” he told them, “Look at that rock the I gave you at the Gettysburg screening and be grateful for what you have. When you encounter challenges and difficulties, look at that rock and remember the 51,000 men who were casualties at Gettysburg.  They did not give up.”

In what was the most beautiful and poignant public moment of the evening, Tony made it crystal clear how much he thought of each one of the ten students who accompanied him to Gettysburg.

“I want each of you to know that the memories of you and our experience will remain in my heart forever, and when my last day comes, I will take those memories of you to the other side.”

He wanted to end this beautiful moment with the words he coined about his experience in North Plainfield, “This is the place where I found the Face of America’s tomorrow today.”  As he looked at the students, their teachers, the administrators and board members he admires so much, he was overwhelmed with emotion, and he choked up.

Sensing the genuine emotion of this extraordinary human moment, the audience helped him out with a kind of applause, I will never forget.

In that moment, everything he hoped for and worked so hard for came together. It was his Face of America moment shared with people who appreciated the many ways he tried to help these wonderful students benefit from the powerful examples of the Battle of Gettysburg and the painful experiences of a father who loves his son, his work and his desire to help.

As we were driving home, I asked him about the screening and the reaction to it. He told me he was very apprehensive before the screening, and he was pleasantly surprised by the warm and heartfelt reactions of the people who approached him at the social after the event.

The comment made by Nabil Twyman’s mother touched his heart in a very special way.  It made all the months of worry, hard work, struggle and disappointment worth the effort when she spoke these words:

"Thank you for saying all the things I wanted my son to hear. It was a powerful film and a beautiful evening."

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

Art From the Heart: A Special Evening in North Plainfield, New Jersey

Written by Kitch Loftus & Tony Mussari
Digital Photographs Tony Mussari
Copyright 2013
The Face of America Project
Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD

It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.Albert Einstein

Art is not what it used to be. When we were in school it was a one hour session offered a few times a month. We studied an artist and one work. There was no formal music program in the schools we attended. In Catholic schools, there was no shop program and home economics was nothing like it is today. We did have glee club and choir, but again it was a voluntary program.

This past Friday, our Face of America journey took us to the North Plainfield Senior High School in New Jersey, where we experienced an explosion of creativity and a cornucopia of beautiful and compelling projects at the Spring Arts Festival.

For three hours the school was transformed into a museum designed to showcase the excellent teaching and priceless learning of 24 teachers and hundreds of students. Working together the students and teachers contributed their work to 12 performances and 12 demonstrations and displays of art, culture, history, home economics, music, shop, singing and poetry.

Hundreds of parents, students and grandparents packed the hallways and the classrooms on every floor of the high school. Wherever one went, you could feel the infectious joy and happiness of accomplishment.

Our first stop was the cafeteria. On this evening, the only food in the cafeteria was food for the heart, soul and mind. The room was an art gallery housing hundreds of colorful drawings and paintings depicting various aspects of the battle of Gettysburg, the Civil War, history and nature.

One of the images that demanded our attention was a large composite of Abraham Lincoln. It was created by the students of the Stony Brook Elementary School all 264 of them under the watchful eye of their art teacher Sonya Larado. It was designed specifically for the Gettysburg Project in an attempt to familiarize students with the man generally believed to be our greatest president.

During the school’s Read Across America Day celebration in 2013, the students were given a brief introduction to the Gettysburg Address and the differences between a line drawing and a portrait. The students were each given a square to decorate with the patriotic colors, red, white and blue. After the event the pieces were put back together to form the image of Abraham Lincoln.

To use an overused and much abused word that is very appropriate here, the end product was awesome!

In another section of the cafeteria, we discovered a display of art that was absolutely beautiful. It belonged to the students in Ms. Rosen’s class. We were taken by the vibrancy of the color, the beauty of the designs and the variety of the images. If we could, we would have purchased every one of them.

To add to the compelling nature of the displays, Linda Russell, an accomplished historical musician, set up her demonstration in the middle of the cafeteria. It attracted large crowds, and she found a way to share her stage with anyone who wanted to play a home-made instrument like wooden spoons with her. We were fortunate to catch her performance of “Oh Suzanna.”

What a moment!

It was absolutely wonderful.

To add to the celebration, we were able to share a few moments and several hugs with one of our very favorite people, Maria Rodriguez. Mrs. Rodriguez is president of the PTO. She is a woman of great warmth and service. She always makes us feel at home when we visit North Plainfield. Mrs. Rodriguez is an excellent example of the important role parents play in the education of students in North Plainfield. She and the members of the PTO volunteer their time and their talent to provide educational opportunities like our Gettysburg Project to the students in the school district.

Shortly after we left the warm glow of Mrs. Rodriguez we passed the classroom where Leeanne Charamonte was working with students who were doing living theater exercises. Every student in that room was fully engaged and cooperating with the teacher. Several students were standing in the doorway watching with great interest. It was another example of the creative teaching and active learning.

The next stop was the auditorium. For three hours this room was filled with the glorious sounds of students who sang, and played various genres of music under the direction of their teachers. Each group brought a unique dimension to the Arts Festival.

The rigors of this visit made it impossible for us to see and hear all of the performances, but the four we did see were just wonderful. We loved the jazz band and the wind ensemble.

Watching Kyle Skrivanek, a UMass graduate, direct the wind ensemble, we had a sentimental moment. It brought back memories of the time we spent at UMass producing Building Power and Class our documentary about the legendary director George Parks and the Minuteman Marching Band. Kyle was a member of that band.

We enjoyed the chorus, and we were inspired by the concert band’s performance of To Heal a Nation. What a powerful and creative way to mesh history and music.

It was an honor to work with the student musicians, and their director, Heather Fencik.

During the practice session, one of the musicians, a delightful student named Sofia Bermudez thanked us for a pleasant memory she has of her visit to our garden last summer. Sofia was charming, engaging, friendly, mature, and very sociable. Just like Mrs. Rodriguez, Sofia made us feel at home.

While we were in the auditorium, Bob Ferraro came over to say hello. Bob is one of the three shop teachers. He is a pleasant man with a positive attitude. He and his colleagues Tom Kavanagh and Ted Sielewicki offer quality instruction to their students. If anyone would doubt this, they need only check out the display in the library containing handmade Civil War artifacts and the wood products that were artfully designed and crafted and placed on display outside the cafeteria. There is only one way to describe them. They were treasures that anyone would want in their home or office.

Our next stop took us to the second floor where we could smell the aroma of fine cooking and baked goods.

There we met Richard Tenezaca, a cooking student, at what many would consider the most scrumptious offering of the Arts Festival. Under the direction of Clare McEnroe and her colleague Sharon Betz, the students prepared sugar-filled treats that Civil War soldiers received from relatives and friends. When we entered the room a group of students were huddled around a table filled with treats like gingerbread, Mary Todd Lincoln cake, peanut brittle, strawberry jam, Sally Lunn bread and tea cake cookies.

It didn’t take but a few minutes before Mr. Mazur joined the students and parents at the table where he covered a piece of Sally Lunn bread with strawberry jam.

While this was happening, the smile on Clare McEnroe’s face lit up her corner of the room.

Before we left, Richard Tenezaca helped us collect copies of all of the recipes. You can be sure we will be serving these treats to our guests this summer.

Our only disappointment on this evening of jubilation was this. We did not get to all of the events, but we are certain that they were as wonderful as the ones we saw.

For Kitch and me this celebration of student work and teaching excellence is a hallmark of education at its best. The collaboration and common purpose of students and teachers is a rich mosaic of the Face of America on one of its best days.

Aside from the obvious importance of students and teachers in this unique setting, the most memorable part of the evening was the crowd. The high school was alive with parents and relatives looking at the displays, talking to their children and expressing delight at what they saw and heard. The sounds of music, laughter and conversation were delightful and soothing. People were smiling and the students were exuberant and interested in what they were doing.

Everyone should have the good fortune to attend an event like the Spring Arts Festival in North Plainfield. It gets the creative juices moving and it makes you think “well maybe I can do that.” It is relaxing refreshing and it rejuvenates one’s belief in the meaning, substance and value of great teaching and creative learning opportunities.

The North Plainfield School District is blessed with an extraordinary department of Fine, Practical & Performing Arts. The leadership of Tom Mazur is deeply rooted in making teachers and students feel good about themselves and the work they do. He is a model for Amanda Gore’s Joy Project. The teachers in the department are available, caring, competent, creative and very talented.

To adapt the words of a familiar quotation about education, “The 2013 Spring Arts Festival proves beyond any question of a doubt that the best teachers teach from the heart, not just from the book.

Thank you:

Allison, Amy, Clare, Diana, Dorian, Heather, Ivan, Jodi, Jonathan, Joanne, Kathleen, Kimberly, Kristyn, Kyle, Lisa, Leanne, Lucas, Robert, Shannon, Sharon, Sonya, Tammy, Ted, and Tom. Your work gives truth to the words of Carl Jung:

One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings.  The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child.

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

Women Making History: A Perfect Day at the Port of Baltimore, March 21, 2013

Written by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Digital Photographs Tony Mussari
Copyright 2013
The Face of America Project
Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD

You cannot live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you. John Wooden

The Day in Context

March 21, is known for many things.  It is the first day of spring and World Poetry Day.  For those who follow the astrological year, it is the first full day of Aries. Aries is the first sign of the zodiac. It symbolizes leadership

In 1928, Charles Lindbergh received the Congressional Medal of Honor on March 21, for his first solo trans-Atlantic flight.  In 1965, Martin Luther King, Jr. lead 3,200 people in the start of the third civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery.

On this March 21, more than 200 people came together for breakfast at the Sparrows Point Country Club in Baltimore, Maryland, to celebrate Women in Port Security with a panel discussion and the presentation of the Woman of the Year award to Vice Admiral Sally Brice-O’Hara, U.S. Coast Guard, Retired.

The Setting

Surrounded by water on one side and a golf course on the other, the country club sits majestically on the crest of a small hill. If you are looking for a beautiful setting, this is it.

If you are looking for beautiful people in all the ways that matter, one need only enter the banquet hall.  

In every corner of the room, one could feel the welcoming atmosphere of community, confraternity, celebration, diversity, inclusion and everything that America represents on its best day.

Each table was tastefully decorated with a patriotic centerpiece.  Colorful baskets of flowers were carefully placed around the room, and attractive signs acknowledged corporate sponsors and the history of the United States Coast Guard.

Mary Jane Norris, Manager, Port Operations Services, is a talented woman with a million dollar smile. She and her committee attended to every detail.

The Program

The program began with an inspirational presentation of the colors by a group of teenagers from Baltimore, and a patriotic expression of the Pledge of Allegiance by everyone in the room.

Rev. Mary Davisson, Executive Director/Chaplain the Baltimore Seafarers’ Center, read a thoughtful invocation prayer asking God’s blessing on everyone in the room.

Mr. James White, Executive Director of the Maryland Port Authority extended a warm welcome to the annual celebration of women.

Kathy Broadwater, Maryland Port Administrator, introduced Vice Admiral, Sally Brice-O’Hara with words of respect and gratitude:

“She began her service at a time when there were very few women in the Coast Guard, and, frankly, many did not want women there. In common with past honorees, she stuck with it, did the job to the best of her ability and showed through her performance that women could do the job as well or better than men.”

“Our honoree rose to the rank of Vice Admiral and served as Vice Commandant of the entire US Coast Guard at the time of her retirement. To put this in perspective, in 2012 the Coast Guard had a little over 6,800 officers and only 3 were Vice Admirals- less than one percent of all officers. This is a significant achievement for either gender. It’s particularly notable considering less than 19% of the officer corps was female at the time.”

The Honoree

Vice Admiral Sally Brice-O’Hara is a quiet, competent person who exudes dignity and class. When she approached the podium, the room filled with the quiet sound of expectation.

She began her remarks with a quote from one of the Coast Guard’s most famous pathfinders, Captain Dorothy Stratton:

Since we were untried, we knew that if one failed, we all failed.  That is why we tried so hard.

Those 20 words set the tone for a speech that captivated everyone in the room. It was compelling, candid, conversational and filled with examples of leadership and service.

She admitted that she felt that the weight of all women was on her shoulders, and she had a responsibility to be professional. She wanted to contribute and create opportunities for women in the Coast Guard.

When she entered the service she thought she would honor a six year obligation and then go on to other things, but that was not meant to be. In 2012, she had given more than 37 years to the Coast Guard.  She honored 19 different assignments, and she rose to the position of second in command.

This is how she summarized the important things she learned during her career:

1. Get as much training and professional development as possible;

2. It takes effort, self-study and extra work to move forward;

3. To survive in a dynamic era like the digital age you must learn to adapt;

4. Find several mentors. If you ask people for assistance they will respond;

5. Have patience.  It takes time to make progress;

6. When you experience negative examples of leadership, you learn how not to do things;

7. It takes energy, commitment and time to become a mentor. Become a mentor anyway;

8. Do not become a “Queen Bee.” Break down barriers and help other women move forward;

9. Select your partner carefully, because he or she is an essential part of your team;

10. When you are given a command position, select people who are not “yes” people. You will benefit from different ideas;

11. Always remember the team is paramount. We live in a no-fail environment. Everything is done in a team environment, and you must know and honor your responsibility to the team;

12. Be an open and honest broker. It will create the climate for the best decisions.

While Admiral Brice-O’Hara was speaking you could hear a pin drop in the room. Her compelling story and her thoughtful advice reminded me of the words of one of her heroes, Dorothy Stratton:

We wanted to serve our country in its hour of need. The Coast Guard gave us this opportunity and we did our job well. Semper Paratus.

Admiral Brice-O’Hara’s speech set the tone for the panel discussion that followed.

A Panel of Experts

Mistress of Ceremonies Cecilia Donovan was generous in her introduction of Margurite Cooper, Securitas Security Services, Susan Miller, MDTA Police Officer, Cindy Milligan, Pride International and Kristina Tanasichuk, President and Founder of “Women in Homeland Security” Organization.

Looking at these women, and listening to their stories and their advice to other women, I thought to myself if ever there was a portrait of the Face of America on its best day, this is it.

Margurite Cooper encouraged everyone in the room to hire only the best qualified people.

Susan Miller captured my attention with her honesty and sincerity. I want to help people, and I believe women bring a softer touch to difficult situations.

Cindy Milligan emphasized the need to adapt to change and to figure things out.  The ability to multitask and the desire for continuous learning are invaluable assets for employees.

Kristina Tanasichuk is a first generation American. She recommended that everyone should join organizations that do things they care about. That’s why she started “Women in Homeland Security.”

What Is Leadership?

During the question and answer session, each woman shared her thoughts about the qualities necessary for effective leadership.

“It’s got a lot to do with confidence.” Kristina Tanasichuk

“Leaders must be able to communicate effectively.” Cindy Milligan

“Leadership is about confidence, empathy, listening effectively and hearing what people say.” Susan Miller

“Leadership is about ethics, a sense of integrity and discipline.” Margurite Cooper

‘Leadership is about optimism, energy, accountability and integrity. A leader follows up on promises made.” Vice Admiral Sally Brice-O’Hara

After the panel discussion, people gathered in small groups to express their gratitude and make connections.

Final Moments

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched a number of Coasties and Captain Kevin Kiefer approach Admiral Brice-O’Hara who was more than willing to answer their questions and give them encouragement.

Panel members willingly provided a business card to anyone who wanted to stay in touch with them  

In front of the room, Mary Jane Norris assembled her team for a group picture to recognize the individuals who made this event so successful.

Photographer Bill McAllen captured many of these “Kodak” moments.

America at its Best

We went to The Sparrows Point Country Club on March 21, to celebrate the life and accomplishments of a friend. We did not know what to expect. To our delight we discovered more than 200 living examples of America at its best.

We experienced a feeling of belonging that is central to the spirit of America.

We learned invaluable lessons about life and dealing with bumps in the road.

We were impressed and inspired by the people we met, the things we heard, the sense of community we experienced and the welcoming fellowship of people who are dedicated to the success of the Port of Baltimore, Women in Port Security, and America at its best.

Thank you Mary Jane Norris for giving us this incredible opportunity.

Thank you Vice Admiral Sally Brice-O’Hara for your dedicated and impressive leadership, love of country and service to America.

The kindness, generosity of spirit Kitch and I experienced at the Sparrows Point Country Club on this brisk March morning demonstrated once again that the people who make America work are the heroes without headlines who do what they do in an effective way without noise or notice. They inspire others to reach up for the best edition of themselves, and they give truth to the words of Abraham Lincoln:

I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have.

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

Marywood University: a Beacon of Leadership and Ethical Corporate Social Responsibility

Written by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Digital Photographs Tony Mussari
Copyright 2013
The Face of America Project
Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD

Our people are paralyzed for want of confidence and leadership, and, unless they can be inspired with hope, we shall fail to do anything worthy of our State or Government.  Abraham Lincoln, June 30, 1863

Our Face of America journey took us to one of our very favorite places this week, Marywood University. We were there to participate in the 11th Annual Forum and Conference on Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility.

The theme for this year’s, conference, “Outbehaving Your Competition,” was interesting, informative and very appropriate in this age distractions.

These are but a few of the things we learned from the speakers and participants who gave definition and meaning to this wonderful day of community, fellowship and learning:

1. Don’t kill the competition. Outbehave the competition. Dr. Gale Jaeger, Forum Coordinator

2. Ethical leadership is positively impacting the people around you.  Dr. Art Comstock, Chairperson, Department of Business and Managerial Science, Marywood University

3. Ethical leadership is guided by values. Ms. Pamela Genske, Director of Human Resources, Prudential Retirement

4. Effective leaders listen carefully to the opinions of others. Ms. Pamela Genske.

5. Marywood University’s undergraduate NET IMPACT: Students for Responsible Business Club was the first if its kind in the world.  Dr. Murray Pyle, Business faculty Marywood University

6. Corporate social responsibility is a hard-edged business decision. Not because it is a  nice thing to do or because people are forcing us to do it…because it is good for our business. Mr. Lane Bunkers, Catholic Relief Services quoting Niall Fitzgerald, former CEO, Unilever

7. Over 3000 Fortune 100 companies publish Corporate Social Responsibility Reports. Dr. Ann Henry, Vice President Worldwide Operations, Cisco Systems Capital

8. At Marywood, we know how important it is today to demonstrate that responsible leaders exist. Sister Ann Munley, IHM, Ph.D., President, Marywood University

9. It is important for leaders at all levels to inspire and promote right action that determines the performance and culture of the whole group. Atty. Jane Carlonis, Oliver, Price & Rhodes

10. In the law, just like other professions, ethics is the core of all activity.  We all know that ethics should prevail on any decisions we make either in business or
professionally.  Atty. Jane Carlonis

11. Nitin Nohria, the new dean of the Harvard Business School, argues that we need leaders who demonstrate moral humility. Patrick McMahon, President of One Point quoting from an article written by Ken Starkey and published in the Economist, 2/12/13.

12.Harvard Business School professor Nancy Koehn’s, statement about “Constant Turbulence” as the new normal certainly hit the nail on the head.  John Hawley, Business faculty, Marywood University

13. This quote from John C. Maxwell, I feel it is appropriate for the ethics forum and the choices we make as humans in our personal and professional lives.  “The choices you make; make you.” John C. Maxwell. Charles Thomas, student Marywood University

14. The presentation really engaged me on so many levels; reminding me to be accountable on a professional level, not so impulsive on a personal level and to be reflective & nurturing of my spiritual level. Jill Schroth, employee Marywood University

15. I’m well aware that work does not come before family or loved ones. Chole Elizabeth Karnick, student Marywood University

16.  You cannot be afraid to fail, because from failing it will lead you to better decisions later in life. Greg Chilson, student Marywood University

Our eleven hour visit to Marywood University was filled with memorable moments of friendship, community and learning. Kitch and I were impressed by the acts of kindness we received from members of the Marywood faculty, staff and students we met during our visit.

The conference and forum helped students better understand how they can outbehave the competition. It underlined the importance of ethics and corporate responsibility as the value added that will help executives and employees build a better society at home and lasting relationships abroad.

Dr. Art Comstock, summarized this wonderful day of collegiality with these words. The message to students is this: we must stay true to values, and that will help us become ethical leaders who are driven by honesty and doing the right thing.

Dr. Ann Henry put it another way, Corporate social responsibility makes good business sense.

Dr. Gale Jaeger was absolutely right when she told the people attending the conference they would leave feeling less cynical knowing that good things are happening behind the scenes.

Thank you Prudential, One Point and Penn Security for sponsoring the 11th Annual Forum and Conference on Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility. In so doing, you give special meaning to the theme of the conference Outbehaving Your Competition.

Thank you Gale for all that you have done to make this conference one of the premier events at Marywood University. You are a genuine Face of America on its best day, and everyone who visited Marywood University on March 18, is in your debt.

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

Heroes without Headlines: Joseph Boytin, Part 7

Written by Tony Mussari
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Digital Photographs Tony Mussari
Copyright 2013
The Face of America Project
Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD

“A memory is a photograph taken by the heart to make a special moment last forever.” Unknown

A note from a friend, some bumps in the road and a funeral for a member of the “Greatest Generation” got me thinking about life, death and everything in between.

The note contained an inspiring message about what really matters in life. It was the opposite of just about everything we hear and see in our cluttered, cultural celebration of fame, wealth and power. These, we are told, are the superhighways to happiness and joy. The note from my friend was filled with examples of caring, encouraging, and helping. It reinforced a powerful and poignant message Kitch and I got earlier in the week at St. John the Baptist Church in Larksville, Pennsylvania.

We were there to stand with a former student, Jeff Yedloski and his family, as he said good-bye to his grandfather, Joseph Boytin.

Mr. Boytin was a devoted husband, a loving father, a proud grandfather, a successful coach, a mailman and a friend to many. He served his country with distinction during World War II. At 94, he was one of the 16 million veterans who have been celebrated in quiet and poignant ways for what they did to free the world  from the totalitarian thugs who wanted to build a new world order of exclusion, intolerance and supremacy.

On this day, he was one of the World War II veterans who die every ninety seconds in America.

St John the Baptist is a beautiful church. It is filled with artifacts of the church of my parents, a towering marble altar and larger than life spiritual paintings that speak to the love and forgiveness of Christ’s message. In this magnificent setting, Father Gerald Gurka spoke with empathy and honesty about the loss of a loved one:

There aren’t any words to relieve your pain;

Mr. Boytin’s death reminds us that we live on God’s time. Death is a homecoming;

We are hurting, but life continues;

Whenever we do something that your grandfather loved, he is very much alive, because his life was a reflection of the Beatitudes. He was generous, kind, dedicated, loving and committed to serving his community. In so doing, he created something beautiful which is in you;

Work is love named discipline.”

In a very real way, Father Gurka was giving life to the words of Scripture:

Behold God’s dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away.

At St. Mary’s Cemetery, I watched the members of the Ashley American Legion salute the man who earned the Purple Heart, the Good Conduct Medal and the European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with three bronze stars.

The pallbearers reverently carried his flag-draped coffin into the chapel where Father Gurka was waiting to say these words of farewell:

This is his flag, and this is our spiritual heritage.

Joseph Boytin is a genuine hero without headlines and a Face of America on its best day. He will be remembered for all the things that matter in life: family, faith, confraternity, neighborliness, industry, learning, empathy, kindness, responsibility and selfless service to his community and his country.

His life is a portrait of America at its very best. His legacy lives on in his family and those who were touched by the gentle mercies of his caring heart.

Charles H. Spurgeon wrote the words that best apply to Joseph Boytin’s life:

A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.

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

Anniversary: Oh, How the Years Go By, Part 3

Written by Tony Mussari
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Copyright 2013
The Face of America Project
Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD
faceofamericawps.com

“Do the things that interest you and do them with all your heart.” Eleanor Roosevelt

This morning, Kitch reminded me that today is the third anniversary of our Face of America journey to California, the official start of our search for examples of America at its best.

To be more specific, on this date in 2010, our destination was Shanksville, Pennsylvania. On the way we made a sentimental stop in Centralia, PA, the place where our documentary career took flight in 1983. Then we drove to Mechanicsburg to have lunch with Katy and Bob Finn, two very special people in our life.  

We ended the day with three of the best people we know Janie Kiehl, Chuck and Jayne Wagner. For ten years, Janie, Chuck and Jayne helped us tell the story of Flight 93 and the People’s Memorial to the passengers and crew who gave their lives for their country on the day the earth stood still for America.

Our dinner and visit in Shanksville ended one of those days that can only be described as practically perfect in every way. Wherever we stopped on February 28, 2010, we felt the warmth and the sense of belonging that is central to America at its best.

The Numbers for 2013

These are the statistics for the third year of our project:

9,000 miles traveled in 5 states and 20 cities;

44 articles posted on our Face of America website;

14 visits to Gettysburg.

We produced an hour documentary entitled Walking Into The Light At Gettysburg.

We screened the documentary and hosted a banquet in Gettysburg on January 19, 2013. Without question this was the most ambitious, complicated, challenging, rewarding and time consuming activity of the year.

We are eternally grateful to Bonnie & Frank Orlando, Tim Johnson, Ann Costa, Mandy Moore, Tom Mazur, Ellen and Jerry Mondlak. They encouraged us, helped us and inspired us to make the documentary and the premiere weekend happen.

In July, we started production of a weekly “America at its Best” commentary for the Business Builders Show with Marty Wolff. What a wonderful learning experience this has been. Thank you, Marty.

During the year, we delivered guest lectures at Marywood University, The Community College of Baltimore, Luzerne County Community College and Wilkes University. Thank you, Gale, Rick, Bill, Judy and Bob; we are forever in your debt.

Book Report

This year, we had two false starts with our book America at its Best, and little success in finding a traditional publisher.

At the moment we are exploring the opportunities available in digital publishing.

Last evening we received a telephone call from a representative of an alternative publishing company who encouraged us to sign a contract with her company. Strange as this may seem, this morning we had a request to write a chapter book about one of our life experiences.

Robert Dahl’s words about writing continue to inspire us: “Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”

Looking Forward

In the days and weeks ahead, we will honor an invitation to screen Walking Into the Light at the annual meeting of the Wyoming Valley Civil War Round Table.

We will present our thoughts about “Gettysburg, Lincoln and Leadership” at the 11th annual Forum and Conference on Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility at Marywood University.

We will participate in the annual arts festival at the North Plainfield High School, and the school district will host a community screening of Walking Into The Light at Gettysburg.

We will host our annual Windsor Park Camp for our grandchildren. Without question it’s the best event of the summer.

We have a very special documentary project in its preproduction phase, and we will continue the renovation of the garden we began last summer.

A Moment Like No Other

Last month, we received this note from Martin Young:

Hi Tony, Kitch I just posted the song for you guys to check out, I hope you like it. I feel like it came out really well. I may still do a few more things to it but this is certainly very close. Hope everyone is well, take care, Martin

What a joy it was to hear the song we wrote about surviving cancer. We are indebted to Mike Lewis and Martin Young who helped us refine the words and produce the music.

We are in the process of securing a copyright.

A Priceless Gift

Yesterday we received a priceless gift from our friend, Bill Gaydos. Before we left Gettysburg on January 20, Bill told us he intended to write a poem about the documentary.  This week we received a beautiful framed first edition of Bill’s poem.

You can read Bill’s poignant verse at this address:

http://faceofamericawps.com/news/the-passing-of-the-torch-at-gettysburg/

To everyone who helped realize our dream to produce a documentary about the magic and mystery of Gettysburg, we say thank you.

This has not been the easiest year for us. We encountered many bumps on the road, and we are dealing with some challenges we never expected. That being said, we are determined to keep moving forward.

President Abraham Lincoln said it best: “Adhere to your purpose and you will soon feel as well as you ever did.”

Until the next time, we hope that all of your stories have happy endings.

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

They came one by one
Walking Into The Light At Gettysburg
This challenging new generation.

Young men and women
Neither Union or Confederate
But all inclusive in one generation.

Eloquent in speech
Open to new ideas
With optimism and perseverance of mind.

They scoured the bloody battlefield of Gettysburg
For nuggets of courage
And valor they’re sure to find.

Walking into the light
On this Hallowed Ground
Shrouded by Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.

General Robert E. Lee
Joined them at Gettysburg
Sword in scabbard and full Confederate dress.

For these students from North Plainfield
Whom we got to know
And admire so dearly

Will return to their school
With visions of Gettysburg
And of themselves more clearly.

“We’ve come, Mr. Lincoln,”
They boldly announced,
“And your torch we’re ready to bear.”

“For on this Hallowed Ground,
Walking Into The Light At Gettysburg,
We take up your mantle to wear.”                                          

This poem was written by William J. Gaydos to celebrate the premiere of Walking Into The Light At Gettysburg on January 19, 2013, in the Lenfest theater at the Visitor Center in the Gettysburg National Military Park.

Leadership, Love and Lincoln

Written by Tony Mussari
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Digital Photographs Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Copyright 2013
The Face of America Project
Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD
Historical Images from the Library of Congress Digital Collection

“Love seeks one thing only: the good of the one loved. It leaves all the other secondary effects to take care of themselves.  Love, therefore, is its
own reward.” Thomas Merton

On this Valentine’s Day, Kitch and I would like to share a few of the things we learned about love from our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, during our Face of America journey.

Ten months ago, we were recording scenes for our documentary Walking Into The Light At Gettysburg. During the presentation of the living historian who was interpreting Abraham Lincoln for the students from North Plainfield High School, I asked this question:

Help these students understand the importance of these two words compassion and tolerance?

He answered with words I did not expect to hear:

It’s hard for me, because when you are talking about ‘oh tell us about your leadership style…’

A lot of it you just do because you think it is the right thing to do and it comes from …love. Love of my fellow man.

I was a politician because I loved people.  I loved being a politician because you can help people. I think if you come from a position of love of your fellow man, I don’t think you can go wrong.

I think that out of love comes all of the actions. It’s the fountainhead. That’s what I try to do…and to me that’s all it takes, love and effort.

Granted this was an actor playing Lincoln, but in so many ways his words ring true.

When I think about the greatness of Abraham Lincoln, I think about a leader who personified:

Courtesy not acrimony;

Understanding not hostility;

Thoughtfulness not theatrics;

Kindness not callousness;

Giving not taking;

Magnanimity not meanness;

Love not enmity.

So what does this have to do with our national day of love?

In my opinion, a great deal.

In all things great and small, Lincoln gives us a blueprint of what America is on its best day.  He reminds us of what we can be at our very best, and it’s all about love of country, love of our neighbors, compassion for those who are hurting, and tolerance for those who are different.

You may not find specific quotations from Lincoln about love, but you can find many examples of his kind and gentle heart reaching out to help others in need, and his steadfast determination to preserve the union and promote equal opportunity for everyone.

Of all the lines he authored, this is his most inspirational thought for me:

“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have.”

And what animates that light?

Love.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Please provide feedback to:

tony.mussari@gmail.com

Gettysburg Documentary Provides Teachable Moment

Written by: Craig J. Blakeley, J.D.
Alliance Law Group
Tysons Corner, Virginia
Photographs by: Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Copyright 2013, Face of America, Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD

I had the pleasure of attending the recent screening of the documentary “Walking into the Light at Gettysburg,” produced by Dr. Tony Mussari and his wife Kitch.

The film chronicles the experience of a group of 10 high school students from North Plainfield High School in New Jersey as they visited the Civil War battlefield in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania for the first time.

I have known Tony for several years but this is the first time that I have seen him in his native environment – as both a filmmaker and a teacher – and it is a potent combination.

The film clearly is a labor of love. It succeeds not only in educating the audience about the battle of Gettysburg but also translates that historical event into one that is relevant to the present day – as the audience see it and experiences it through the eyes and the voices of those 10 students.

As I watched the film in the theater at the Gettysburg National Military Park, I realized that Tony and Kitch had succeeded in creating a “teachable moment” not only for the students but for those lucky enough to watch the film.

I listened to one young woman tell us that through her experience at the battlefield memorial that she had learned that it was OK to fail – that what mattered was to try.

I listened as one African-American student expressed her thanks to those who had fought and died at Gettysburg, in recognition of their role in securing for her the freedom that we all cherish.

I heard one proud parent in the audience, an immigrant from South America, describe the joyous embrace of her daughter – one of the 10 students – as she told her mother how deeply she had been affected by her visit to Gettysburg.

As I saw the brown, black, and white faces of those 10 students, I saw the realization of the future that those untold sacrifices at Gettysburg and throughout the Civil War had made possible. And just as our nation overcame the tremendous forces that acted to divide it then, those same students, with their impressive intelligence and insight, gave me confidence that we will once again overcome what divides us now.

It seems to me that is the true message of the film – and it is one well worth hearing – and remembering.

Gettysburg: Behind the Curtain, A Downton Abbey Experience

Written by: Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Photographs by: Bill Gaydos & Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Picture of Highclere Castle courtesy of Jonjames1986(talk)
Copyright 2013 Face of America, Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD

I came late to the table known as the Masterpiece Theater production of Downton Abbey. This hour-long program watched by millions of people on PBS  is in its third season.  The program gives the viewer an insight into the lifestyle of the English gentry and their servants in the early part of the twentieth century.

Why, you ask, are you reading about Downton Abbey when the topic is about the events leading up to the screening of "Walking Into the Light at Gettysburg?"

Well, the journey between April 2012, when ten students from the North Plainfield High School travelled to Gettysburg and the premiere of the hour-long film at the Visitor Center at the Gettysburg National Military Park in January 2013, can be likened to scenes from this year’s episodes, both upstairs with the Crawleys and below stairs with the servants.

Tony can play the parts of Robert, Earl of Grantham and Mr. Charles Carson, the household butler. As the earl, he knew what he wanted to do so the students would have the full experience of the history of the battle at Gettysburg in July 1863, during the Civil War, and that they did. Every moment was a learning experience from the introductory movie shown at the Visitor Center to the battlefield tour by a licensed guide.

A few wrinkles were ironed out quickly in his role as Mr. Carson and it could be called a just about perfect weekend.

The journey from April to January was a zigzag course that resembled the guest appearance by Shirley MacLaine who played Lady Mary’s mother, Martha Levinson, as she interacted with her English counterpart, Violet, the Dowager Countess expertly executed by Maggie Smith. Their interaction mimicked the logistics involved in making our film and then planning a successful screening because every move Martha Levinson made was not the right one in Violet’s eyes.

There were times when nothing seemed to be working out. Rooms were reserved at the Hampton Inn, but few had called to book them. The banquet plans were in place and ready to go when the event planner left for another position. A new person came on board, but confusion reigned about how to pay long distance and to whom. Always in the background was our worry about the weather, the technology and a hundred other details that demanded attention.

In the meantime, amongst the angst, a film had to be put together.  It was necessary to find material that would flesh out the story of what happened at the battle to show how the students experienced it…but at no cost. You see, we had no budget for this project, no outside source of revenue to cover our expenses. It was similar to what the Earl of Grantham felt when he was told that his investments had failed, the family was broke and they would lose their beloved home.

Like Mr. Carson, Tony kept the lid on the problems and plowed ahead.

So he persisted day after day, night after night, week after week to find the right pictures that were free of copyright constraints and the right reenactment video footage that was graciously offered through the good offices of a new friend, Frank Orlando. The Library of Congress website and many others sites and the owner of the reenactment video became our benefactors as did Matthew Crawley when he offered the earl his inheritance to save his wife’s (Lady Mary) beloved Downton Abbey.

The logistics of getting everything accomplished, when we were more than three hours away from Gettysburg and nearly three hours from North Plainfield, New Jersey, became a bit nightmarish at times.

Think Anna Bates not hearing from Mr. Bates when his letters from prison never made it to Downton because he fell out of favor with the right people.

As Christmas grew closer, movement by all parties slowed considerably and we wondered if anyone would attend. Anxiety levels rose, and we started to feel like Lady Edith at the altar when Sir Anthony Strallan told her he couldn’t go through with the wedding. But just as she rallied and found a new calling, there was troop movement.  Reservations on both fronts started to come in for the rwo events. It all started to fall into place, at least in Gettysburg.

There was a bus that would transport North Plainfield students, parents, friends and board members. All would have rooms and a seat at the banquet. All had been made ready by those behind the scenes, and it was smoothly executed by the time January 19 arrived.

It was going to be a happy reunion for many of those coming from five states to celebrate a new production.

Meanwhile back in Dallas, think Mrs. Hughes and Mr. Carson getting ready for a big event at the abbey.  It was Santa’s workshop but the Downton servants were missing…there were but two elves working feverishly to make sure the right presents were chosen. Mr. Carson, aka Tony, did the purchasing of the mementos that the students and others would receive. Mrs. Hughes, think Kitch, was the wrapper of various gifts, trying to label them properly and keep them organized.

And, as always, it came together beautifully. The guests arrived at the Visitor Center, the theater filled, the lights went down, the film filled the screen and at the end everyone was on their feet….the roar of applause, the sweet tears….a grand success.

Another successful event that begs for more.

Stepping beyond the analogy to the Downton Abbey series, it was indeed a wonderful time.

There were many highlights to the Gettysburg screening weekend. Of course, the best was seeing many long hard months that Tony put in producing, writing and editing the film pay off in the many wonderful comments and reviews about the work. He deserved every accolade.

Seeing old and cherished friends who traveled from near and far to be a part of the celebration was among the best memories.

Watching Julia and P.J., Tony’s delightful grandchildren, proudly escorted by their parents, Elena and Jeff, having a good time.

The standing ovation.

The proud looks on the students’ faces when they received their gifts and they talked about their transformation recorded in the documentary.  

Standing with Ellen and Jerry Mondlak, General and Mrs. Robert E. Lee, and Tom Mazur as they were thanked by Tony for all the contributions they made that caused it to be a successful evening.

The large delegation of our former students, their parents, wives, husbands and in one case fiancée who came to celebrate the moment with us.

The impeccable customer service we received from Tim Johnson and Ann Costa at the Hampton Inn.  

The friendliness of Joe Spadolini, Tina Hare and support staff at the Eisenhower Inn and banquet facility.

The welcoming words of Mayor William Troxell and Stacey Fox at the screening, and Mayor Troxell’s surprise gifts for the elected officials from North Plainfield and Tony.

The encouragement and friendship of Mandy Moore, a person who represents the Gettysburg Foundation with dignity and class and the cooperation of her colleagues Debbie Joyner, Joe Corcoran and Michael Guinn who attended to all the details associated with screening the documentary in the Visitor Center at the Gettysburg National Military Park.

The spiritual words of Doug MacMillan’s grace before the dinner, the informative and inspiring words of Dr. Stephen Post’s speech and the beautiful reflection of Dr. Richard Loomis.

The spirit of community reflected in the joyful conversations people had with one another during our meet-and-greet session, at dinner and again at breakfast on Sunday morning.

The absolutely beautiful weather all weekend and in January no less!

We are indeed blessed, and we are very grateful for every moment.

New Gettysburg documentary
offers insight, emotion and discovery

Alan Stout

Dr Anthony Mussari and his wife Kitch are shown with the students from North Plainfield High School who appear
 in their new documentary, ‘Walking Into The Light at Gettysburg." 

“Walking Into The Light At Gettysburg,” a new documentary produced by Dr. Anthony J. Mussari of Dallas, offers more than just a remarkable history lesson on what remains the most intense military battle on American soil. It also offers a lesson in self-discovery.

The film is part of Mussari’s ongoing "Face of America" project, which he has developed with his wife, Kitch. For “Walking Into The Light At Gettysburg,” the two bring 10 students from the North Plainfield High School in New Jersey to the Gettysburg National Military Park. And not only does the group find the visit to be educational and enlightening, but in some ways, life-altering.

And why wouldn’t it be?

Standing on the grounds and amid the monuments where there were more than 51,000 casualties and where more than 7,000 fell to their death, the students – and those that view the film – are provided with not only some staggering statistics on the battle of Gettysburg, but also poignant human stories that made the battle even more heart wrenching. The group also receives “visits,” courtesy of gifted actors, from General Robert E. Lee and Abraham Lincoln, who offer some thoughtful perspective on the Civil War.

Throughout the documentary, Mussari continuously paints the perfect backdrop to the tour. Stunning quotes from Lincoln and Lee frequently appear on the screen, as well as timepiece photographs, paintings and video reenactments. There is also appropriate music and – most importantly – appropriate sentiment. Indeed, when the students offer their final thoughts on their time at Gettysburg during the film’s final moments, some important lessons are revealed. And as one young teen recites a poem that she had written inspired by her visit, there are also a few tears.

And perhaps that is the greatest triumph of “Walking Into The Light At Gettysburg.” It teaches. It inspires. And it captures the emotions one might feel while standing at one of America’s most hallowed grounds exactly 150 years after it became such a landmark. For schools that are unable to take such a memorable field trip, the film in many ways, can take them there. And, after seeing the film, those schools within driving distance of Gettysburg that have never offered such a trip to their students may be inspired to do so. Regardless, those that view it will likely look at their country and perhaps even themselves a bit differently. And, as is the case of 10 bright-eyed kids from New Jersey, both might be for the better.

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