The following story was shared with MyRye.com. If you remember other details surrounding this story, please tell us.
As told to MyRye.com:
In the days after 9/11 a young woman asked Rev. Dr. Richard Earle Murdoch, the then senior pastor of Rye Presbyterian Church, to use his office to call radio stations and put out the word to ask people to bring donations that could be used at Ground Zero. He said yes and “I know goods poured in,” Judy Murdoch, the Reverend’s widow, told MyRye.com.
Someone donated a yellow Ryder truck, and it was loaded with donations. Rye High School was also collecting items but had no way to get things down to Ground Zero. They asked Rye Pres if they could take their items down as well. A human chain formed from the high school down to the church. Things were passed from one person to another and put on the truck.
A local pizza parlor heard about the effort and asked if they could donate pizza. The City of Rye Police Department heard about the effort and said the church would have trouble getting the truck down to Ground Zero so they offered a police escort.
Rev. Murdoch drove in the young a woman rode as a passenger. “(They) made it to Ground Zero where people were happy for dry clothes and socks and still warm pizza,” said said Judy Murdoch. “(One person joked) where are the cigars? It was a beautiful experience in a horrific time.”
