Spotlight

December 19, 2000

SPRUCING FOR THE HOLIDAYS, BROOKLYN COLLEGE'S PRESIDENT AND STUDENTS
HELP TO MAKE THE JUNCTION SHINE

Alice Newcomb-Doyle (718) 951-5882
adoyle@brooklyn.cuny.edu

Brooklyn, N.Y. -- In the spirit of the season, students and staff from Brooklyn College joined on December 6 with local businesses, elected officials and community groups in an anti-graffiti campaign to spruce-up "the junction" for the holidays.

More than two dozen volunteers from the college painted graffiti-covered walls on local businesses and cleaned the sidewalks alongside Project Sweep employees. "This was a terrific opportunity to show our appreciation to the neighborhood and to demonstrate that the college is an integral part of the community," said President Kimmich. Co-sponsors of the event are Community Board 14, the Midwood and Flatbush Development Corporations, Project Sweep and local elected officials. " It is heartening to know students are willing to give of themselves at the busiest time of the year," said Assemblyman Nick Perry. "We have tried hard to improve the appearance of our streets and storefronts, and the collaborative effort demonstrates that we all are stakeholders in this issue." "We are constantly painting the restaurant to remove graffiti, but it's really nice to have the kids chip in," said Mr. Protos, owner of the Sugar Bowl, which received a fresh coat of paint. The sponsors of the event see this holiday clean up as a starting point for more collaboration in community affairs in the future.

President Kimmich commented that this effort is just the beginning and that it is the college's goal to increase its presence and actively participate as a good neighbor. "It's a good feeling to put on a pair of overalls and grab a paint brush," said Elliot Wasser, a senior at Brooklyn College. "With so many people working, it's amazing how quickly a wall can be painted or a sidewalk swept."

Those who helped make the event possible include Steve Czirak, assistant vice president of facilities, Louis Fanelli, special projects manager, and painters Robert Zawadski and Frank Trotta.

Brooklyn College, founded in 1930, is one of the eleven senior colleges of the City University of New York. Located on a 26-acre tree-lined campus in Flatbush, it enrolls 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students who are representative of the diverse population of Brooklyn and New York City. The college, nationally known for its core curriculum, has been hailed as one of the "bright spots" in American higher education. For more information about Brooklyn College, visit the college Web site at www:brooklyn.cuny.edu




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