Kathy Masi woke up one morning and decided she needed to do something for Earth Day.
At Community Board 5’s meeting this month, she stood up—without a plan—and announced that she and the Glendale Civic Association would organize a day for residents to meet each other and clean up their neighborhood.
“I figure that once I open my mouth I’m committed,” Masi, who heads the Glendale Civic, said.
She was committed, and now she has a growing number of volunteers also committed.
On April 22 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at least 100 residents will take to the streets of Glendale and Ridgewood to clean, pick up garbage and just talk.
“Basically it’s to come out enjoy the day get to know one another,” Masi said.
She’s dubbed it the Love You Neighbor Earth Day Celebration.
Earlier this year, Masi got the idea when she looked out the window and realized her neighbor was shoveling snow off the front of her house.
“I have a great neighbor, and I’d like to treat my other neighbors the same way,” she said. “That’s what’s started it really.”
The first step of that though, is getting to meet your neighbors, and what better way to do that than a cleanup organized around Earth Day, she said.
Strictly through grass-roots support, community meetings and word of mouth,
Masi has signed up more than a dozen organizations and businesses and zeroed in on projects in Glendale and Ridgewood volunteers can work on.
Groups like the Ridgewood Glendale Middle Village Lions Club, the Glendale Kiwanis Club, Grover Cleveland High School’s Key Club and more will work on projects.
Masi is also encouraging local businesses to jump in and sweep a stoop or donate supplies.
The core of Masi’s push is still to come out and simply meet your neighbor though. That’s part of why she’s keeping the event short.
“Three hours is just enough time to feel like they’ve accomplished something,” she said.
Local politicians are also joining in. Representatives from Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi, Assemblyman Mike Miller, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley and State Senator Joe Addabbo will all lead sites, thanks to Masi’s delegating.
They will help oversee projects like the ones to clean up Grover Cleveland Park, the 80th Street overpass and along Cooper and Cooper avenues.
Masi doesn’t want the lack of a leader or organized project to stop anyone from showing up on the day.
“If they want to do their blocks they can just get out there and do it,” she said.
Projects and volunteers are still growing, and anyone interested in participating in the Love Your Neighbor Earth Day Celebration can contact Masi at (917) 783-5667 or glendalecivic@aol.com.
By Jeremiah Dobruck
j.dobruck@theforumnewsgroup.com
