My Valley Forge Story: Maddie Zesotarski

Maddie, her mom Pam and a group of actors sit in a wooden hut as they film for the Valley Forge park film. NPS/ Pam Zesotarski

My Valley Forge story is not just one as an employee, but also as a parent. I work for the Maintenance Division, and I take great pride in my behind-the-scenes role as a Facility Management Systems Specialist for Valley Forge NHP and Hopewell Furnace NHS. Helping to manage facilities data, create work orders, and develop project funding requests is my day-to-day story, and that’s rewarding all on its own. But one special part of my Valley Forge story is only tangentially related to my actual work here.

When the newest iteration of the park movie was being created, a request went out for volunteers for extras in the film. In particular, there was a need for some children to participate to show aspects of the life of the women and children who were camp followers. I happened to have two relatively young children who were excited to participate.

Pam fixing Maddie's bonnet on the film set. Happy 4h Birthday!! NPS/ Pam Zesotarski

And the schedule of the filming made the experience even more special for one of my kids. My daughter, Madison, had the unique opportunity to spend her 4th birthday in period costume on the set filming one of the scenes! It had recently snowed and was very cold on that early March afternoon, and when we weren’t actively filming we had a chance to sit in a hut by a fire to warm up. During that time, the cast and crew that were in the warming hut discovered that it was her birthday. She was a little shy about it, but I’ll never forget the look of pure joy on her face when the entire group sang “Happy Birthday” to her! It’s a memory we’ll both have for the rest of our lives, and it will forever be a happy part of my own Valley Forge story.

Where this belongs

• Valley Forge National Historical Park

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