Submitted by John Martell

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Hello.

My name is John E. Martell. I am a 47-year old steelworker with 26 years' seniority at the Sydney Steel Plant (SYSCO).

I grew up in Sydney's north end on Yorke Street. The neighborhood is comprised of Yorke Street, Armstrong Ct (Tin Can Alley), Walker Street, Ferry Street and Havelock Street. We had two pop factories, three corner stores, several warehouses, the Canadian National (CN) Freight Shed & Railyard, a swamp known as the Louisa Gardens and between us and the steel plant. We had the infamous Sydney Tar Ponds.

The steelworkers' union was asked if they would like to send a member on an exchange trip to Fort Valley, georgia. After asking some members who declined, I was approached.

I said I would check with my family first but that I would like to go. They supported me in this and wished me a good trip.

The following is an account of the trip and experiences that I wrote for my wife because I knew I would never remember it all.

THE TRIP

We left Sydney 9:15am on December 6^th; weather was overcast and threatening rain and snow.

Arrived in Halifax 10:05am and had to immediately board the plane for Boston ­ no time for anything.

Arrived in Boston at 12:30. It is one of the biggest airports I have ever seen. We had about 2 hours to kill. Dan, Clotilda and I went into a place called Samuel Adams for lunch. We all enjoyed our food. Mark and Shirley had pizza. Sister Ellen went for a walk and I'm not sure what Sharon did. But before this we had to get our boarding passes for Atlanta. The attendant made all the passes out and put them in one envelope. Dan held onto it. Sister left for her walk and the rest of us started talking and decided that we wanted to carry our own boarding passes. So we got our passes and gave Sister Ellen's passes to Mark to give to her and then we went to lunch.

After lunch we went through a pass inspection area and on to the gate area. In the meantime Sister Ellen had gone to the pass inspection and explained to the attendant that we had her boarding pass because we were traveling in a group. They let her go through. So when we arrived in the gate area, Sister Ellen was already there.

The time to board the plane was here. Sister Ellen still had no boarding pass. Mark, Shirley and Sharon were looking for Sister Ellen (paging etc.) on another level of the airport.

At the last minute, Mark, Shirley and Sharon arrived with her pass but the airport people were going to give Sister Ellen another pass (????).

All on the plane, we settled in for a 2:46 flight.

We arrived in Atlanta about 5:45 or 6 o'clock. We had to walk down a very long hall, vere right, take the escalator down and catch a train to take us to "Concourse C" and the gate we needed to board for Macon. We went in to a little place called "Coache's Corner (we thought it was Don Cherry's, but it wasn't) to have coffee or beer ­ guess what I had?

This is where Elizabeth May and Neal Livingstone joined up with us. Shortly after we decided to go back to the main terminal to have supper. We all got on the train and went to supper. Supper was hurried because we had to run to get our flight. Although it was very good, I forgot to get a receipt in the rush!

All on the plane for a short flight to Macon. We got off the plane and went into an airport much smaller than Sydney's.

We were met by John McCown who drove us to Fort Valley in a van. He took us to Evans-Cantrell Bed & Breakfast which turned out to be a plantation house from the last century. It is beautiful.

Cyriline is the lady who owns and runs the bed and breakfast with her husband, Norman, whom we had not met yet. We also met Marvin Crafter.

SUNDAY, DEC.7

In the morning Cyriline served us french toast on a table that was all set in Christmas colors, white lace table cloth, red placemats, and Christmas coffee and tea mugs. There was a dessert glass with fruit that was beautiful. But back to the french toast, it was like batter of a pancake, but shaped like and bigger than a half-moon pastry, it had three cheeses in it and was sprinkled with icing sugar. With this came a large serving bowl of stewed blueberries (warmed). This french toast was excellent.

Later, John McCown picked us up for Church. Shilo United Baptist Church. I have never experienced anything like it in my life ­ the singing (soulful), the participation of the congregation (Amens, repeating word that the Minister was saying, "Lord Have Mercy," "Jesus the Savior," etc and the agreement of the congregation with the Minister "Yah!" "Yes, sa!" "Right on Rev," etc.

There was an old black gentleman behind me and he sang like Ray Charles I told him how much I enjoyed his singing and he smiled at me.

The people welcomed us to their Church and town with open arms. We were introduced to the congregation and we all had a little something to say to them about who we were, where we came from and why we had come.

We were in Church from 10:45am until about 2:30pm (a lot of religion).

We went to change clothes and then we had dinner at a little place called the Shrimp Boat. We had fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, corn(creamed), and yams. Very good. After dinner we drove to Macon and visited the African-American Museum which was very interesting. We were also going to visit the Georgia Music Hall of Fame but it had closed.

We drove back to Fort Valley. The countryside was nice. There were peach groves, pecan groves and cotton fields.

One thing that caught my attention were the pine trees, they were so big ­ much taller than the trees at home.

Oh! Pine trees ­ I forgot to tell about our walk.

In the morning before church, Sister Ellen, Mark and I went for a walk for about an hour. We walked about a five block area. The sun was shining but the air was cold. We saw many pine trees along the road and Sister Picked up a few large cones. We walked for a while and thought we might not find our way back, but when we decided that at the next corner we would turn left we realized we were back home at the B&B.

Sunday evening we sat in one of the parlor rooms at the B&B and talked about their plight and how they began to organize themselves and their community to try and get this mess cleaned up. (Marvin, John, Lawrence and all of us. Marvin's wife was there also, but she did not take part in the discussions.) We exchanged stories and ideas. They told us of going door-to-door and getting people involved (about 600 out of 8,200 people); we can't seem to get much more than 100 out of 26,000 people.

At a point where there was a lull in the conversation I went to the kitchen to get a drink of water. Cyriline went to the fridge to get me a bottle of water but there were none left. I asked her about the tap water and she said it was fine and that she uses it all the time, but most guests prefer bottled water. I got a glass, went to the sink and ran the water, drank a glassful (tasted all right to me). Mark said he found a bottle of peach schnapps in the fridge so I poured myself some with orange juice (it was quite good). Then Cyriline said that there was also one bottle of beer in the fridge ­ that I could have if I wanted (twist my arm, God love her!).

I went back to the parlor to rejoin the group. John McCown noticed my beer and said, "where did you get that?" I told him, but said it was the last one. I passed him the bottle to have a drink, then I took one more myself and gave John the rest.

After some time, we decided to call it a night. John and Marvin said goodnight and they would see us in the morning.

Shortly after all had left or gone to bed, I met Norman for the first time (B&B owner). We had a nice conversation and he told me that he was a retired pilot but that he was working for the Armed Forces doing repair work on the guidance systems for fighter planes. He also was an antique car nut.

He is a Councilman for the town of Fort Valley. He grew up in the neighborhood around the Woolfolk Chemical Plant. He said that he believed that God spared him so that he would fight for social justice and the clean-up of the toxic site in their town.

Marvin has to be one of the biggest men I have ever met. He weighs about 500 pounds. When he comes here in April, he will have to buy two tickets just for himself (I don't think that's fair.)

He is very dedicated to his cause (the clean-up of the toxic site)

His wife (can't remember her name) is a strikingly beautiful woman who is of large stature but not what you would call overweight. She drives Marvin everywhere because he can't get behind the wheel of the car (a large car). He does have a van that he drives.

He is very smart, has a deep voice and a southern drawl which makes him difficult to understand at times.

DECEMBER 8, 1997

OPENING PRAYER by Rev. Hillsman and a prayer and sweetgrass ceremony for the healing of Mother Earth (profoundly touching) by Sister Shirley Christmas; also a reading by Shirley of Mother Earth crying out for us to stop poisoning her before it is too late.

VIDEO: Environmental Justice. Fort Valley, Georgia case

Pollution located in areas of poor, color and other ethnic minorities.

Superfund

Grassroots people got a President's Executive Order.

8,200 people, of which 80% are black.

Woolfolk Pesticide Plant Site

Arsenic, organic & inorganic pesticides

Cap area is really an unpermitted dump area. Houses on the outskirts of this cap area have high levels of arsenic in them. The leaching of the cap has affected the ground water for the entire area. This impacts on all the people, black & white.

People ask: "is the cleanup to protect the health of the community or to be done at a lower cost?" It cost less to encapsulate it than to clean it up.

Don't cap the area but excavate and clean it up entirely -- and you know they just capped it.

"Investigating Environmental" justice issues at the Woolfolk Chemical Works site in Fort Valley, Georgia.

KYLE BRYANT: Project Manager & Environmental Engineer

4-year research project

The Woolfolk Chemical Works is referred to by locals as the "dust house."

Over 300 people diagnosed with rare skin disease linked to arsenic. Increased cancer, stillborns and other diseases.

(47 kinds of chemicals)

Under cap area lies approximately 37,000 cubic yards of toxic sludge.

Officials said records were lost.

Dioxin 245T and Sevin

They built a library on a lot across the street from the cap site. This saved the Canadyne Co. $3-5 million in cleanup costs. Population has a grade 9 education; not very many high school diplomas.

Bigger picture:

"Clean it up before I die," (said by some old lady, I can't remember her name); "Give me my flowers while I'm still alive, 'cuz I can't enjoy them while I'm dead." (Eluding to the cleanup)

R.I.C.O. is a Canadian Company owned by Japan.

EPA is a watchdog for government on industry.

PRIORITIES: (1) PROTECTING FORESTS (2) URBAN SPRAWL.

Working to inform and rally people to see that government pass good laws to protect people and environment.

Environmental racism - biased enforcement of law and placement of toxic waste dumps, landfill sites, incinerators and industrial sites are placed in areas of color and other ethnic groups in low income and socially depressed communities.

There are a lot of things you have to be willing to give up if you are going to stand up and get involved ­ and one of those things is your life. And until you get a call where someone on the other end of the line tells you, "I'm going to get you, I'm going to kill you," you really won't understand this.

The community does not really know the real harm that the pollution does to us. People are struggling to feed and house their families, and environmental justice is not a priority. We must educate people to the importance of this.

Communities that are poor need to have the funds to organize and receive justice.

Regulatory agencies are created by the corporations to act as a buffer between them and the people.

Corporations are using industrial blackmail to keep people from acting their rights to a healthy environment. (corporations -- an artificial person/or persons) Some corporations are richer than some of the countries of the world.

Corporate gets more than social does. Corporate taxes have declined in the last number of years from about 51% in 1950s to 10% in the 1980s.

Corporations were originally formed to do good for the community and had to be reviewed every 10-15 years by citizens committees who had the right to revoke their charter if they (the corporation) have not been "good corporate citizens." But since then, they have become artificial persons and have all the rights afforded a person, and more.

THE CAP

Also around it were old red wooden and metal structures, components of the old chemical plant. Next to these were newer buildings, the existing chemical plant still operating in a section of town that was a mostly black population.

The houses were small (2-3 rooms) with as many as seven people living in some of them. They were in several states of repair or disrepair, depending on how you look at it.

There were also several building lots which, at one time, had houses on them. These were bought up by the company and fenced in, signs posted "Toxic Area, Do not come in contact with the soil or water." Now these lots were like a checkerboard (one empty lot and next to it a house with people living in it ­ 2 empty lots and a house with people living in it.

On the far (other) end of the field just across the road, they are just completing a new library (that no one wanted or needed but would save the company 3-5 million in cleanup costs.) People who are to work in and run this library are having second thoughts about their jobs and workplace (white neighborhood).

Back to the near end of the toxic field (where we were), the road had been widened and asphalted over. This was the ditch which ran along Preston Street into which run-off from the plant drained. This ditch was deep and wide enough to bury cars into.

Children played in this ditch when it had water in it, that water was, at times, green-orange or various other shades in between. In 1994 heavy rains caused this ditch to overflow flooding the surrounding neighborhoods.

To the left of the field was one of the city's main domestic water pumping stations (still operating) - they were advised to close all three wells on it because of "possible" contamination. (A host of chemicals - 47 - including arsenic)

I should also mention that we were met by a news team. A lady reporter who looked like she wished she were anywhere else (not comfortable in a black neighborhood or toxic site) and a cameraman who was very good. He taped us for quite a while. We got very little coverage on the news that evening (Monday, Dec.8/97).

We walked down a road leading into the black neighborhood just a couple of blocks from the capped site. an elderly black woman, who was a "jem" of a character came to her front door and said "Hi y'all - what y'all doin' here ­ I thought you come to rob me," with a big smile on her face.

She said that she was a life-long resident and her name was Annabelle. But we could call her "big momma" or "big baby" or anything we want to. I shook hands with her and we spoke while the others continued on down the street. The group noticed I was still there and sent Neal Livingstone, our cameraman, to get some shots. The newsman was still with us and he took some shots, too.

Annabelle told us that there was a lot of sickness in her family over the years and that she hoped to God that they would clean up the mess soon. She was not a bit happy living right next to the chemical plant, but this was her home. (Hers was one of the houses next to an empty lot, next to an old building which was part of the old chemical plant which had blown up.) I shook her hand and gave her a hug and wished her well.

We went to a little brick house a little further down the road and met a lady named Mary Charles (in her 60's). She told us of sickness in her family and that of her neighbors; of how she and two of her friends all had babies with holes in their hearts. Three young women in one neighborhood! All three babies had surgery, all died!

Mary also had a son who was severely handicapped. At about the age of six he started having breathing problems. She took him to the hospital for about three weeks, he got better. She took him home, he got sick. The doctor told her he was allergic to something in her house. They gave her medicine and he was doing fine at home.

One fine day, she took her son out into the yard. She got a neighbor to come over and look after him for awhile so she could go to town (he was happy and fine). When she returned home, she found that her son had died while she was gone. He started to gasp and could not breathe. The neighbor called 911 but it was to late. His air passages had swelled up and closed off (toxic shock???). Mary has respiratory problems and skin problems herself.

At the same time Reverend Hillsman told of his losing two sons: his youngest at 6 months and his oldest at 7 years to cancer. His eldest son was a seemingly healthy boy riding bikes, playing in the neighborhood and then became sick. They took him to hospital and the doctors said cancer ­ he got well after treatment and went home for awhile (months), but he had to go daily for treatment when the cancer came back.

This seven year old boy told his father "no more daddy. I don't want the hurt no more." At this point in time, the youngest member of our group, Sharon, left the house in tears. The Reverend continued on with his story saying that night while being with his son he fell asleep. When the Reverend woke up, his son was dead. He said this tried his faith to the limit. We were all close to tears.

Mary also told us of the times in her life when people from the plant would come to their door at 3 or 4 in the morning and tell them to get out of the house and run for their lives because something had happened at the plant and deadly chemicals were released into the air. These people were dressed in gas masks and coveralls. They would say "the wind is blowing to the north, so you run south" and she and her family would run, sometimes as far away as 3 miles in their night clothes.

Once she said her 80-year old grandfather said he could no longer do this. They told him to close all the doors and windows and breathe through a wet towel. This type of thing would happen 3 or 4 times a year.

We thanked Mary for having us in her home and went down the road to the home of an elderly black woman named Mrs. Ingram. She told us she was the oldest person in the neighborhood. All the families in the homes around her were new (not children of her neighbors; they were all dead and/or gone.) She said her husband, who had not worked at the plant but was a teacher, died of respiratory problems (bronchitis). She had it herself along with skin problems. Her children also had these troubles. We thanked her and left.

Back in the van, we all decided it was time for a break. We left and went back to Evans-Cantrell B&B, dropped off Sister Ellen and Shirley, then went to the package store. I got a six pack of beer and the others got what they wanted. John then informed me that he had put three 6-packs at the B&B. I said "they won't go to waste." (I lied!)

This was about 4 in the afternoon. We went back to the house, John came in and had one beer with us and left to take care of some things.

We sat in the foyer and had a few drinks. Elizabeth offered me a drink of Jack Daniels and Gingerale so I had that with a beer chaser. We talked about the day. Then Cyriline suggested we go to the New Perry Hotel for supper.

We knew Sister would settle for nothing less than a baked potato meal after our meal at the Shrimp Boat (not one shrimp to be had) ­ lots of greasy chicken, no fries. Anyway John came back with Juanita, a very attractive and nice young black woman who helped organize our day on Monday, and we drove 12 miles to supper. Oh, I am getting ahead of myself ­ the baked potato ­ Elizabeth called the hotel to see if they had baked potato on the menu. They said no but she could speak to the Manager, Barbara. Barbara said they would be glad to bake some potatoes for us after Elizabeth explained our plight to her.

So at 6:30pm off we go to supper. We arrived at this hotel that was a beautiful spot (classy). We were brought into a dining oom of which there were three. Upon being seated we were told that the gardens and pool area were decorated so we went into the garden room to see. I could not see, so they showed me and Elizabeth how to get outside. In the middle of the pool floating on a platform was a lighted Christmas tree. It was beautiful.

We ordered supper and about five of us had our meal with a baked potato, but we blamed the special order on Sister Ellen. Barbara, the Manager, came over to make sure we were okay with everything and to chat with us a few times. I think they found our friendship and openness very endearing. I don't think they got many people as happy and gay as we were by the look of the other guests who were there.

We had a great meal in beautiful surroundings with warm and friendly service.

By the time we got back to the B&B, Juanita was ready to go home (her car was left there). So we said our goodbyes in front of Evans-Cantrell with a hug and a hope to see each other in the spring (everybody).

John came in and had a beer with us then left with a threat that we be ready to leave at 4:30am. Marivin arrived with gifts of canned pecans for all of us, thanked us for coming and said he's looking forward to coming to see us in Cape Breton. Another teary goodbye and good luck.

By 10:00 there was only Elizabeth and me left in the foyer when Norman came down (Cyriline's husband) and talked with us for a few minutes. Then Elizabeth went to bed. Norman and I talked for about a half-hour and then we both went up to bed. I told him that if they got the chance to come to Cape Breton, they would have to stay with us. Norman said they would like that.

I didn't sleep well, knowing we had to be on the go so early. I got cleaned up and was downstairs by 4:15. Cyriline was up and had tea, coffee and a dish of fresh peaches ready for us even though we told her not to bother. She said that she couldn't let us leave without having some Georgia Peaches at least once. We barely had enough time to finish when John McCown arrived at the door to pick us up (4:40am Dec.9/97).

Once again, another emotional goodbye. We hugged Cyriline and away we went. It was still dark out and drizzly when we put our luggage in the van. We all noticed an acrid odor in the air. I thought it smelled like propane but Mark thought it might be something more chemically-related and that it was everywhere around us.

Off to the airport in Macon (30 minutes away) ­ hard to believe but at 5am we were all in good spirits. John turned off to the airport but somehow took a wrong turn in the airport industrial park (don't panic) ­ we retraced our steps and decided to go back out and try again, but low and behold, a sign right in front of us ­ "terminal straight ahead" ­ Sister Ellen: "Hallelulia!"

We got our boarding passes and checked our bags. Sister Ellen and Dan went for a walk. Ten minutes to boarding ­ we called in Dan and Sister. Goodbyes again ­ hugs all around for John with a hope to see you in Cape Breton in April.

ON THE PLANE: Seats are "A" on one side of the isle, "B" and "C" on the other.

I had 8-C and got settled in. Then in come Dan and Clotilda with seats 8-A and 8-B. Why do the airlines do that? I got up and took 8-A and let Dan & Clotilda sit together (they're like a couple of teenagers all huggie, kissie and holding hands ­ I love it!)

Just when I got settled in 8-A, I noticed that Sister was seated in 9-C "against the window" (she finds it close if she's not on the isle) ­ I asked if she was all right there or did she want my seat. The big man who was sitting with her looked at me like I was crazy. She said no because it was just a short flight and that she would be all right. The big man sighed and I said to Sister that he was relieved and we all had a good laugh!

LANDED IN ATLANTA ­ Rode the moving sidewalks to the right terminal and gate. We went into a gift shop to get some souvenirs. FIVE MINUTES TO BOARDING and Shirley and I are still in the shop. Her then me at the Checkout ­ Elizabeth says "come on." Last minute I'm running for the gate. Big hug and goodbye from Elizabeth ­ missed Neal??

ON THE PLANE TO BOSTON we were all together except for Sharon (again!). It seemed that she was alone for most of the flying time going down there and coming home. I went down to tell her to come forward with us because there was a seat available. She was happy to stay there and read and sleep. We were all tired. As it happened there were seats available at the windows, so Sister, Shirley and I left poor Mark alone (I think he was glad to get rid of us, ha! ha!) in the middle of the plane with enough seats to stretch out on. This was the time when I wrote a lot of this.

The plane was huge ­ two seats on either side with five seats in the middle. The Captain came on the intercom and said not to worry if we saw smoke coming from the engines because when the plane sits idle or off for awhile that oil builds up in the engine and has to be burned off (yeah, right!)

THE CAPTAIN AGAIN ­ there will be a delay of about ½ hour because we're having trouble getting two of the plane's three engines going but that it wasn't any thing to worry about when the plane has been off for awhile (oh my God!!)

The Captain ­ we got the engine going but because of the weather, there will be another 10-15 minute delay. We were 10^th in line to take off.

ARRIVED IN BOSTON ­ found out where to go to get to terminal "E" and our gate.

Here's one for the books: we are on the escalator going down and Clotilda hears the name of her cousin who she hasn't seen in 40 years being paged. We go to the information desk and get them to also get a hold of this woman. Dan and Clotilda stay behind and the rest of us go to terminal "E." Turns out Clotilda's cousin was there and they got to see each other (amazing).

At terminal "E" we get our boarding passes and declare reports then we're off to the duty-free shop (Sister Ellen says "the Heavy Duty Shop") Just in and out and run for the plane to where we thought was going to Halifax.

On the plane ­ again there were window seats available for anyone who wanted to move. This time I stayed to write. When I looked up I saw the flight attendant talking to Sister Ellen and I noticed that Sister was sitting in a seat at the Emergency Exit. I called out to the attendant ­ "for the love of God, don't let Sister sit there, half way there she'll open the door and go for a walk." Everybody laughed! Sister said "the things I have to put up with, with this group," and shook her head.

To our surprise we landed in Saint John, New Brunswick to go through customs. Off the plane ­ through customs where sister almost lost her 40-ouncer but I was there to the rescue! Caught it just before it got to the floor (what a save, thank God!!!) Then back to the plane for Halifax.

In Halifax, we found that our schedules had been changed to 4:30 from 6:25 (fantastic) ­ I looked at my watch, it said 10 to 3 ­ great we only have an hour to wait. Then Sharon said "did you change your watch John, it's 10 to 4?" Oh my God, got to call home and get someone to pick me up at 5:15 in Sydney. A quiet flight home.

Arrived in Sydney 5:08pm. Good to be home. Hugged and kissed Audrey at the gate. Everybody's home and safe. Thank God.

Found out that Sharon's uncle was an old friend of ours (small world)

Waited with Shirley for her son to come. She went to get a cup of tea and said as soon as she did, he would come ­ sure enough, he did!

Hugs all around. Good to be home. Sister got her car. Oh! Hers was the only luggage that did not arrive with us. But it came in shortly after on a flight from Newfoundland ­ only sister!

WHAT A WEEKEND! We laughed, we had fun, we met wonderful people and saw nice places and things. We saw some not-so-nice places and things. We heard some heart-wrenching and soul-tearing true-life stories and we cried. We said goodbyes and we hugged (a lot!).

But as a group, we bonded and got real close. Even Mark and I got along for 99.9999% of the time (ha! ha!)

It was a life experience that I will never forget and I thank you for it.

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