Though she worked for nearly three weeks only a few blocks from ground zero, local Red Cross volunteer Lenore Fries never got access to the area during her recent stay in Manhattan.

Friday, October 26, 2001

Though she worked for nearly three weeks only a few blocks from ground zero, local Red Cross volunteer Lenore Fries never got access to the area during her recent stay in Manhattan.

&uot;It’s being treated like a crime scene. There’s a solid eight-foot wall all the way around it,&uot; Fries said.

The devastation is so widespread, Fries said, that cleanup will take more than a year. In addition to the eight buildings that were destroyed, officials worry that another 10 buildings may be damaged beyond repair.

But on the outside of the barrier, children’s drawings and art work adorn the concrete surface – a reminder that much healing remains for the residents of New York City.

Fries, an experienced Red Cross volunteer who has worked on a number of disasters around the country, helped answer and document hotline calls.

&uot;There are a great many mental health problems,&uot; Fries said.

Some callers were too afraid to leave their homes. Others were still hoping to hear some word about a lost loved one. Still others were homeless or jobless since the Sept. 11 attack. Fries said that on top of those problems, a sense of anxiety and fear pervades the city, especially since the anthrax scare hit in the last week she was there.

&uot;People there are edgy. It seemed like every day there was an evacuation of some building somewhere in the city,&uot; she said.

Even the Statue of Liberty, the city’s most well-known landmark and most popular tourist attraction, remains closed for security reasons. It was just one example of the precautions the city is taking against further terrorist attacks.

But Fries said most New Yorkers are doing remarkably well considering the scope of the tragedy. Overriding any sense of fear were expressions of generosity and patriotism. Many people continued to donate time and money to the cleanup cause, and nearly everyone she saw in the city was supportive in some way.

&uot;Red, white and blue was definitely prominent on every street corner,&uot; she said.

Despite the intense media attention to the tragedy and the subsequent war and threats against the nation, Fries said people in Albert Lea should not be scared.

&uot;I feel very safe here. People should not be fearful,&uot; she said. &uot;We should let our children know we love them and continue to be supportive of all charities that need our help.&uot;

After a week of reflection on her ground zero experience, Fries said she will probably not return to the city for another volunteer stint.

&uot;It was a challenge. It was an adventure. It was worthwhile because I was helping people,&uot; she said. &uot;But I’m glad to be back home.&uot;