Volunteers from St. John's University Make Dog Park Clean-Up Day a Barking Success!

Today, over 15 volunteers from the Friends of St. Nicholas Park along volunteers from Beta Alpha Psi at St. John's University (pictured above) helped clean-up and beautify the St. Nick's Dog Park. We picked up litter and glass, create mesa steps, weeded along the fence, spread woodchips and installed additional seating for dog park users.

Special thank you for Partnership for Parks for bringing additional volunteers from Beta Alpha Psi at St. John's University led by their Community Service Chair Amanda Sanseverino.

Other thanks to Chet Heald, one of St. Nicholas Park's managers, for providing us with tools, dirt and woodchips for us to clean-up ad repair our dog park with. Mike for bringing the coffee, Corey and his son Darius for working at the speed of light and keeping everyone on their toes!

We organize the clean-up days 4 times a year to help maintain the dog park and keep it clean. Our next clean-up day will be in December or January. We'll let you know when the next one is.


Working hard spreading fresh woodchips during the clean-up day today.


What we work so hard for - a typical morning at the St. Nick's Dog Park

Dog Park Clean-up Day Next Saturday, Sept. 29th 10am-2pm

Dear Friends,

We are holding the St. Nick's Dog Park Fall Clean-up Day next
Saturday, September 29th from 10am to 2pm. We'll be filling in doggie
dug holes, spreading new woodchips, replacing bag dispensers, and
making sure the place looks great for the Fall season.

Your help is greatly needed and appreciated.

If you have a pair of work gloves please bring them. We will have some
available to those who don't. Also, we will have bottled water and
coffee for everyone.

It is usually better to come to the workday after you walk your dog.
Dogs demand attention while in the dog run, and the workday will be
more enjoyable if you can leave your dog in the comfort of his home.
Of course, we understand if this is not possible and appreciate any
help you can lend.

Information on this Clean-up Day is below:

St. Nick's Dog Park
Clean-up Day
Saturday, September 29th
10am-2pm

At St. Nick's Dog Park
between 136th and 135th streets in the middle of the park

For more information visit our website at www.stnicholaspark.org

Thanks everyone for making this dog park one of the city's best!

Friends of St. Nicholas Park

September Monthly Meeting Minutes and Follow-up

Below is a small re-cap of our meeting our meeting Tuesday, September 11th:

ATTENDEES:

Julia Granaki
Risa Rottenberg
Jamar McDaniel
Phil Spletzer
Jehanne Piper
Josh Greenberg
Ron
Harv

• The group discussed the organization becoming a 501(c)(3).
• Josh brought the forms that are needed to be filled out. The group
• Risa mentioned that there is a lawyer at Parks who helps organizations with this process.
• Josh will being filling out the form and leave blank any sections he will need assistance from this lawyer on.
• Risa will get us name of lawyer at Parks who will help us.
  

• It's My Park Day is taking place on October 20th from 11am-4pm for those who would like to participate.

• Jehanne has volunteered to spearhead the Fall Festival
• The Fall Festival will take place on November 3rd., from 2pm-4pm.
  
• Julia will email Jehanne last year's info. (Facepainter contact, etc.)
  
• Julia will also contact Jamar about additional ideas.
• Some activities suggested were: pumpkin decorating, sack races, face painting, arts and crafts, storytelling, hot apple cider and goodies. The addition of music and park "play mobile" which Risa mentioned is free if we reserve it ahead of time.

Christmas Tree Lighting Will take place on Friday Dec. 7th (to be confirmed by William) at 6:oo pm.

• Group wants to check with Christian Nolan first before asking if anyone would like to take it on. Christian lead the organization last year.
  
• Some suggested activities include: hot apple cider, the choir from last year, musicians/singers from Harlem School of the Arts (Jehanne to check with neighbor).
• Christian to reach out to Convent Avenue Men's Choir to invite them back again next year.
  
• A platform in front of the tree would be needed with proper lighting so people passing can enjoy the celebration.
  

Risa, followup with Afro-Cuban event-cost/no cost etc.

The group is still looking for volunteers to help Risa planning the 2008 Historic Harlem Park's Film Festival in St. Nicholas Park. All interested should contact the Friends organization at info@stnicholaspark.org

Thank you everyone for hanging in there. We apologize that we did not get through our agenda as planned. Ron and Harv had important concerns and helpful suggestions. We should continue to explore how we can get more of the neighborhood involved in the Friends group. I think this is a very important discussion to have at our next meeting. In the meantime, we should be thinking about this problem and how to solve it...and can certainly open up a dialog via email, phone...or just seeing each other around the park and neighborhood.

Our next meeting will be held at our regular meeting place at 502 West 142nd street (between Amsterdam Avenue and Hamilton Place) on October 9th at 7pm.

Special Picnic Monthly Meeting - RAIN LOCATION UPDATE

Dear Friends,

Because of the rain, our special picnic meeting on the park this evening has been moved indoors to St. Mark's United Methodist Church, 55 Edgecombe Ave. bet. 137th and 138th. The entrance is on Edgecombe Avenue. We will have a sign on the door.

We will still be meeting at 6:30pm. Please feel free to still bring your picnic meals, ideas or issues you would like addressed for our park!

Thank you and we'll see you tonight!

Friends of St. Nicholas Park

Anna a "new Mommy" with Linnea

Anna Pettersson who had lost her dog Olive in a tragic event a few months ago writes in with a happy update on how she is doing. Below are photos of the new addition in her life.

"I wanted to send a greeting to the group. It’s been a while since Olive passed, and while I have meant to stop by to say hello and thanks to everybody for their kind attentions, it was hard for a long time to venture back to the stomping grounds.

I would like to share that I was “rescued” a couple of weeks back, by a tiny pup from the ASPCA. Her name is Linnea and I find it impossible not to smile when she’s around. I enclose a first set of pictures and look forward to getting reacquainted as soon as she has all of her shots taken care of.

Many many thanks, again, for all the support you and the group provided during the hard times. Hope to see you in October!"


Best,

a.

Special Picnic Monthly Meeting Next Tuesday, September 11th

Dear Friends,

Next Tuesday, September 11th, we will have a special September Picnic Monthly Meeting on St. Nicholas Park's Great Lawn (near 135th street plaza in the park). The meeting will begin at 6:30pm and last until 8pm. Please bring a picnic meal and something to sit on such as a blanket.

The rain location will be at the Harlem Visitor's and Community Resource Center. The center is on the first floor at West 502 142nd street (between Amsterdam and Hamilton Place)

We will be organizing our event dates for the rest of 2007 and for 2008. Please come with any ideas you have for our events in St. Nicholas Park, questions about our organization and please feel free to bring a friend and spread the word. Below is a rough agenda of what we'll be discussing.

1. Events Calendar
2. Securing 501(c)(3) status.
3. Officers of the group - as our group grows, we have a need for people to take on specific roles within the organization.
4. Fundraising for the group.

Thanks and see you Tuesday evening in the park! If you have any questions please email us at info@stnicholaspark.org. If you are unsure about the rain location, call our new hotline at 212-330-7663.

Friends of St. Nicholas Park

Friends Announce New Mail Address and Telephone Events Hotline

The Friends of St. Nicholas Park is proud to announce 2 more ways for park users to find out more information about our events and organization.

You may now contact the Friends organization by writing to:

Friends of St. Nicholas Park
PO Box 195
New York, NY 10030

Or you may call our new Events Hotline which gives you information about the current month's events at:

212-330-7663

As always you can also reach the Friends by e-mailing us at info@stnicholaspark.org