G.I.V.E. Organizes It’s My Park Day Neighborhood Cleanup In Parkchester

On Wednesday, over 30 volunteers, including 20 teenagers from BuildOn, participated in the beautification of the green spaces by the Parkchester subway station. They painted the cobble stones around the trees as well as the two bird bath fountains. In addition, leaves were raked, garbage was picked up and rose and viburnum bushes planted.

 nilka2 nilka3 The effort was organized by G.I.V.E. (Getting Involved, Virginia Ave. Efforts) Inc., a Bronx based not for profit with a mission of creating a new culture of environmentally conscious Bronxites through block beautification projects, tree stewardship, park and river clean ups, artistic and culture activities, as well as hands-on vnilka1olunteer work, getting one’s “hands dirty”, so to speak.  The group has been around since 2011, gaining official not for profit status in 2012, and was founded and run by The Bronx Chronicle’s Nilka Martell.
For more info, check out the group’s Facebook page here.  

“It’s My Park Day allows us to engage the community in the beautification of their local parks and green spaces,” said Martell. “Today was amazing, and we’ll be back in the Fall to plant blubs for the Spring”.


Amateur astronomers Joseph Martinez and Katherine Cintron set up two telescopes providing clear views of the sun. Volunteers, and the general public, hanilka5d the opportunity to stop, look and ask questions.


Though on vacation, Bronx historian and landscaper Morgan Powell found the time to share his expertise and facilitated two groups in the plantings of the bushes. He took the time to walk three blocks away to the only water access point to make sure the plants were watered before the event finished up.

Local East Bronx historian and Con Ed engineer Mike Gupta spent his lunch hour painting cobble stones around a tree, while Bronx native, actor and producer, John Henry Soto, made his way from New Jersey and painted one of the fountains.

It’s My Park Day, presented by Partnerships for Parks, works with hundreds of community parks groups to lead clean up events in neighborhood parks all across the city.Partnerships for Parks is a public-private partnership led by NYC Parks and the City Parks Foundation . It’s My Park Day is sponsored by TD Bank.

(By the way, have you liked The Bronx Chronicle on Facebook yet? )

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PS If you live in the area, there’s this next week:

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