In the aftermath of the destruction of the World Trade Center, an impromptu force of volunteers took it upon themselves to aid in the recovery effort at Ground Zero. These people did not interfere with the duties of public safety professionals, but rather devoted their time, money, and energy to setting up unofficial food and relief stations for the recovery workers themselves. Susanna Styron's documentary recalls the forgotten efforts of these unselfish individuals—many of whom stayed at Ground Zero for up to 10 months (Styron herself was a Ground Zero volunteer from November 2001 through May 2002)—who formed a unique community together with recovery workers who found comfort and friendship in their goodwill. Combining cinéma vérité-style footage with past and present interviews, 9/12: From Chaos to Community shares stories both warm (such as the fire marshal who fell in love with a volunteer worker and later married her) and tragic (more than a few volunteers have experienced severe health problems brought about by exposure to the contaminated environment at Ground Zero). A poignant and moving celebration of the human spirit and capacity for goodwill in the aftermath of catastrophe, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
9/12: From Chaos to Community
(2006) 56 min. DVD or VHS: $99: high schools & public libraries; $179: colleges & universities. Eleventh Hour Films. PPR. Closed captioned. ISBN: 1-4243-0816-X (dvd). Volume 22, Issue 3
9/12: From Chaos to Community
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