Forum on the Sean Bell Case

A great opportunity to debate and discuss, right here in our neighborhood.

Community Mural Painting at Tillie's

Last year, I interviewed local artist Ellie Balk as part of the "Personal Profiles" series (which will hopefully be resurrected soon -- if you have any ideas on what you might like, please email me!). She mentioned how she hoped to work with Tillie's to create a community mural -- a map of the neighborhood on which all local residents would be invited to paint a dot on the location where they lived, illustrating how close we all really live to one another and how much the neighborhoods nearby are connected. After many long months of working with Landmarks and raising money and applying for grants, Ellie is ready to begin!

Save the date, as the main citizen participation day will be Saturday, June 21.

Here's the info from the press release:

Tillie’s of Brooklyn is proud to announce the painting of a community mural on the Vanderbilt Avenue side of the store, now an empty brick wall at the corner of Vanderbilt and DeKalb Avenues in the Fort Greene section of the borough. Partnered with the newly created SONYA Mural Arts Project, artist Ellie Balk will paint a 9’ circle map of the neighborhood on the wall starting Friday evening, 6/13. Over the course of a week Balk and a crew of volunteer artists from the area will paint the map on the wall. On Saturday, June 21st from 12:00 p.m. to 6 p.m. the public is invited to participate by putting a dot in the spot where their home is located. Tillie’s will serve refreshments on 6/21 at the dedication ceremony.

South Of the Navy Yard Artists (SONYA) has partnered with Ellie Balk to create the SONYA Mural Arts Fund, which will be used to create and implement murals and public art projects that support the youth and neighborhoods of Brooklyn. The initial goal is to raise $5,000 towards the completion of its first project and the development of future murals. The public is invited to make tax-deductible donations by visiting SONYA's website: http://www.sonyaonline.org/ and clicking on "donate", then noting "Mural Arts Fund" under the special instructions, so that the funds can be allocated properly.

Artist Ellie Balk, a neighborhood resident and artist who specializes in community-based projects, explains: “The goal for the Tillie's Community Mural is to unify and bridge the varying aspects of the local community, giving all people a sense of connectedness. The mural will go up at the point where our neighborhoods meet, at the corner of Vanderbilt and DeKalb: Tillie's has become a home base for many Ft. Greene/Clinton Hill residents.”

With fiscal sponsorship and support from SONYA, this mural has been funded through a grant from the Puffin Foundation and with generous support from the Society for Clinton Hill. It is also supported by: the Landmarks commission of NYC; the Community Board of Kings County; building owner Danny Browne; Tillie's owners, Patricia Mulcahy and Amos Yogev; and many enthusiastic community members. Says SONYA’s president, Kathleen Hayek, “We are excited about the Tillie’s Community Mural and would very much like it to succeed and be the catalyst for many more mural projects within our community.”

To learn more about Ellie Balk’s projects and background as a mural artist, see www.elliebalk.com. For all other inquiries contact Patricia Mulcahy at 718 783-6140 or at mail@tilliesofbrooklyn.com.

FG/CH Food Co-Op Meeting TONIGHT!

From the co-op committee: We're having a General Meeting of interested potential members tonight, May 20th, at Cadman Memorial Church, 350 Clinton Ave (corner of Lafayette Ave), from 7 to 9 p.m.
Here's an outline of the main agenda for the meeting:

• The Coop Web site

• Guiding Principles Statement

• Punch list (i.e., to-do items)

• Branding of the Coop

This will also be a time for new people to get some more information on coop and join any of the working committees, which will also present brief updates. This is a great time to have your voice heard and be a part of this community effort, hope to see you there!

Also: The Finance Committee is looking for a lawyer who knows securities law and co-op law -- one with experience working with or starting a food co-op would be ideal. Please email Nick Lombardi at lombardicus@gmail.com if you can help.

Do check out the newly revamped co-op website as well!

Save the G Train Rally!

Hakeem Jeffries steps in to help out the G train.  He seems to be pretty involved in area affairs, which is a good thing.

AIDS Walk Benefit at Masonic Temple

Looks like there will be a pretty rockin' event this Friday evening at the Masonic Temple, benefiting AIDS Walk!  The event is put on by a group called Supersnack, who appear to be a group of cool people who volunteer to benefit various NYC-based charities and organizations. Supersnack's Big Third Ball - A benefit for AIDS Walk NY Featuring: The Mountain Goats, John Oliver, Rock Plaza Central, Gotham Girls Roller Derby, Dave Hill, and more.

Friday, May 16 - 8pm (18+)

Brooklyn Masonic Temple - 317 Clermont Ave, Fort Greene (Lafayette & Clermont) Train: G to Clinton-Washington, C to Lafayette, or B/D/N/Q/R/2/3/4/5 to Atlantic Center Venue phone: (718) 638-1256

Tickets: $25, available via Supersnack.org, 100% of proceeds go to AIDS Walk NY

Arrive early because from 8pm-9pm drinks will be buy 2 get 1 free. Extra bonus: 85% of every delicious beer you buy is going directly to AIDS Walk NY & GMHC. Big thanks to Red Hook Ale Brewery & Goose Island Brewery for hooking that up. Everyone is required to get crunk – it's for charity, guys!

Friends of Clinton Hill Library

For those of you looking to volunteer in the neighborhood, there's a brand-new opportunity!  The Friends of Clinton Hill Library are a newly-formed group who hope to make some small improvements at the library (which is on Washington bt Lafayette and Greene), including starting a featured section of local authors, organizing readings, landscaping and maintenance, and organizing after school tutors. This Sunday, they will be working in conjunction with the Hollenback Community Garden to landscape the front of the library.  They didn't give me a time, but if interested, stop by with some tools and enthusiasm.

Stay tuned for more info on the group and upcoming meeting information!

(For more info, contact elizabethdreyfuss@yahoo.com )

Tree Planting in the 'Hood

This just in from Green Fort Greene and Clinton Hill: Green Fort Greene & Clinton Hill had hoped to plant street trees this weekend but our tree donor, the Parks Department, will not get the trees until next week. Planting will be May 3 and 4. (On May 4, combine planting with the Fort Greene House Tour!)

Fun for all. Bring your friends. Bring the kids. Make a piece of Clinton Hill or Fort Greene better forever. Commemorate something or somebody. The digging is not too rigorous because the trees will be delivered bare root rather than with big balls of soil. Your tools or ours. A couple of hours will make a big difference.

If there is an empty street tree pit near your house that you would like to plant, claim it by sending a reply message. Trees also can go on private property.

Let us know if you can help organize things before next weekend, as well.

The trees will most likely be a mix of lindens and oaks. Both very stately. Lindens bloom in June and will cast a lovely scent over our early summer nights.

In addition to the city's trees, we have donations of tools from The Home Depot (Bed-Stuy) and soil supplements from Plant Health Care. Amy Bennett of Greene Grape and Justine Fasciano will provide trucks for moving our forest, etc. where we want it. Jessica Arnold is confirming planting sites in areas surveyed by Jill Rehman and Mary and Hannah Tager during Green FG & CH's comprehensive neighborhood tree survey. Steve Hurwiitz of GFI Capital arranged for us to use the parking lot at 470 Vanderbilt, at the border between Fort Greene and Clinton HIll, as our staging area. Jonathan Barth is planning the reforesting of Univesity Towers' grounds. And Yes! we will use compost made from vegetable waste deposited at the Green Market courtesy of Charlie Bayrer.

Many more Green Fort Greene & Clinton Hill projects are brewing.

Together we will do great things.

Green Fort Greene + Clinton Hill Meeting

Want to get involved in making the neighborhood a greener, more environmentally friendly place? Check out Green Fort Greene + Clinton Hill, a group focusing on tree planting, recycling and affordable sales of fluorescent lightbulbs at neighborhood retailers. Greetings Neighbors,

Much going on and much to do. Come to Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, 85 South Oxford Street, 6:30 p.m., April 8 to plan a greener spring for our neighborhood. See how a small amount of your time will advance an effort which is making a big difference.

PS11 Silent Auction!

PS 11, on the block surrounded by Greene, Waverly, Gates and Washington has (from what I've heard) been making great strides. Tomorrow, they're hosting a silent auction fundraiser, and the auction prizes sound pretty sweet. This is a great way to support our local kids.

"Furnish a Classroom, Furnish the Future"

The auction takes place this Friday, April 4th, from 6-9pm at Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, 85 S. Oxford. Admission is $15 in advance, $20 at the door. To purchase advance tickets online, please go to our website, www.PS11Brooklyn.org. All proceeds go to buy books and furniture for PS11's classrooms.

This event is not to be missed! Just a few of our fabulous items:

2 tickets to The Little Mermaid on Broadway, including a backstage tour!

Tickets to the Broadway musical Spring Awakening

A private wine tasting in your home for six people, donated by Gnarly Vines

A fall weekend at a gorgeous house in the Hamptons

A one year family membership to the Bedford Y

A $500 shopping spree at Steve Madden

Plus dozens of books, CDs, works of art, gift certificates to local businesses, handmade pieces of jewelry, and much, much more!

There will also be wine and finger foods donated by local businesses, and music!

And for anyone interested in PS11 for their kids, this is a great opportunity to meet some PS11 parents and see what fun, fabulous people we are! :-)

"Furnish a Classroom, Furnish the Future"

We really, really need the support of the community at this event. Thank you so much.

BK Junior League Event

The Junior League of Brooklyn (JLB) Board Training & Development Program wants YOU. The JLB Board Training & Development Program was designed to meet the needs of non-profit organizations within the Brooklyn community seeking qualified Board of Director members. This program will train prospective Non-Profit Board Members within Brooklyn and meet the needs of non-profit community partners. The program will consist of three sessions running approximately 90 minutes. Facilitators and speakers will discuss: “Why Serve on a Board”, “Minding Dollars and Sense”, and “Board Sustainability”. The program will culminate with a Volunteer Fair wherein all trainees will connect with organizations in need of Board of Director support. Please join us as we would truly appreciate your commitment to this rewarding experience of excellence in serving your community.

Date and times for all sessions:

* Kick Off and Session 1 – Wednesday April 2, 2008 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. * Session 2 & Sessions 3 – Tuesday April 15, 2008 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.

(Both will be at Brooklyn Borough Hall)

* Volunteer Fair – Thursday May 15, 2008 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

If you’d like to learn more about our program and receive an application (application deadline is Friday March 21, 2008) please visit the JLB website: www.BrooklynJuniorLeague.org or contact Chinyelu Udoh: JLBBoardDEV@BrooklynJuniorLeague.org

Donations?

This has come up before, but wanted to give it another shot. Occasionally readers and local merchants will email me for suggestions on where to donate used clothing and furniture in the neighborhood.  The standard answers are the Salvation Army on Downing (I think?) near Broken Angel, and Goodwill on Fulton (near Franklin).

However, many people would prefer to donate to a local organization specific to the community.  A few years ago, I placed a few calls to no avail.

So!  Does anyone know of any locally-based organizations looking for clothing and/or furniture donations?  Preferably an organization that would pick the stuff up?  Maybe they offer some volunteer opps as well?

Discuss.

Volunteer Opps w/ the BK Junior League

Do you love Brooklyn? Do you want to help make it better? Join theJunior League of Brooklyn

The Junior League of Brooklyn has been serving the needs of women and children for over 97 years. We are a 100% volunteer-run, non-profit organization of women, dedicated to making this borough a better place to live. We are also a great way to learn more about Brooklyn and meet some of your dynamic neighbors. ------------------- The Junior League of Brooklyn: Women Building Better Communities Who Are We? The Junior League of Brooklyn (JLB) is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. The Junior League of Brooklyn reaches out to women of all races, religions and national origins who demonstrate an interest in and commitment to voluntarism.

We are looking for volunteers, so come and join us at one of our information parties to learn more about what the Junior League of Brooklyn does and what it has to offer you. Come to one of our Information Parties

Wednesday, 1/16, 6:30-8pm @ Central Library at Grand Army Plaza, Youth Upper Programming Room Prospect Heights

Thursday, 1/24, 6:30-8pm @ St. Francis College, Callahan Center 180 Remsen St Brooklyn Heights

Tuesday, 1/29, 6:30-8pm @ Private Residence in Boerum Hill RSVP for Location

To RSVP, please call 718-624-3288 or email us at membershipinfo@brooklynjuniorleague.org

Please Contact Us The Junior League of Brooklyn 55 Pierrepont Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 718-624-3288 www.brooklynjuniorleague.org

A Good Cause at Addy & Ferro

Now through Thursday, December 20th Bring in a new unwrapped hard cover children’s book to Addy & Ferro to be given as a holiday gift to Children in a Brooklyn Shelter. Each donation will yield a Good Will coupon, and should you decide to make a purchase, receive 30% of each item for each book donated. Good Will coupon can be used on all merchandise (full priced and sale) and is to be used at the time of donation, it can’'t be saved for a later date.

Addy & Ferro 672 Fulton Street (between South Elliot & South Portland St.) Brooklyn, NY 11217

(718) 246-2900

Store Hours Monday: closed Tuesday - Saturday: 12pm - 8pm Sunday: 12pm - 6pm

Clothing Donation in the Hill

Two separate readers have recently contacted me, lamenting that their usual clothing donation drop boxes have disappeared. (Specifically, the box at Grand and Fulton, and the box on Myrtle near Tamboril.)  Where else can one drop a donation? Personally, I bring stuff to the Goodwill on Fulton near Franklin.  They take clothing, books, appliances, etc, and they also provide you with a receipt - key for tax season!

Other options include the Salvation Army on Quincy between Downing and Classon (near Broken Angel), and the library on Washington between Greene and Gates - I noticed a clothing donation box at the circulation desk a few days ago (I think they're collecting clothing through December).

Hope that helps!

Green Fort Greene + Clinton Hill News

I, for one, want one of those "chic chopping bags." Spend a couple of fun and fruitful hours at our table at the Fort Greene Green Market on 11/17 or 11/24. You will meet many engaging and beautiful neighbors, help make our neighborhoods even more environmentally friendly, get some fresh air and dispel guilt. In the past two weeks we have sold 400 energy efficient light bulbs, given out hundreds of applications for non-polluting electricity, and added dozens of people to our list of New York's Greenest.

This week we will be offering very chic reusable shopping bags, as well.

If you can help, please email info@greenfgch.org.

Bulbs sprouting: Save energy and save money. Long life energy efficient light bulbs are offered at stores near you for a non-profit price. Each $2 or $2.50 bulb will save you over $100 because you will use less energy and replace bulbs far less frequently. Now at Yu, Green Farm, Fresh Garden, Greene Pharmacy. Coming soon to 4W, Restaurant New Orleans, Gnarly Vines, L'Epicerie, Green Apple Cafe and many others.

Ask your favorite store owner to join the movement. We supply a handsome decal for their window, leaflets explaining the whole bulb story (so they do not have to ) and the low priced bulbs. The store owner will sell the bulbs at cost for a few months as part of our community greening program. Let us know at info@greenfgch.org and we will follow up with them.

Green Fort Greene + Clinton Hill

Looks like this group is ready to kick it into high gear, and it sounds like a cool way to get involved in the neighborhood. Personally, I'm in for a "tres chic reusable shopping bag." One of my neighbors bought one at Trader Joe's, but I just can't stand the long-ass lines to get one: Dear Neighbors:

Green Fort Greene and Clinton Hill is a project of neighbors making our communities even more environmentally friendly. The initiative is sponsored by the Fort Greene Association with the support of the Society for Clinton Hill.

After lots of work getting organized, Green Fort Greene & Clinton Hill is ready to hit the streets. We are ready to begin selling energy efficient light bulbs, signing people up for electric accounts that do not contribute to global warming and selling tres chic reusable shopping bags. The other projects we have been pursuing -- for instance, tree planting and new bike racks -- are beginning to show results. Others in the works and additional ideas welcome.

We will be at the Green Market, at other community events, at churches and schools, and in building lobbies. Merchants will help distribute information to our neighbors.

Our web site is about to be launched. Beautiful leaflets, decals for participating merchants and posters featuring our strikingly handsome logo are going to print.

Con Ed Solutions is doing an 11,000 piece mailing on Green Power jointly with us.

So, we need you to come and see how you can do your part.

Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church 85 South Oxford Street 7:00 pm, Thursday October 18.

DDDB Walkathon Info

From the Society for Clinton Hill: Dear Clinton Hillers:

The DDDB 2007 Walkathon is one week away - Oct. 14, Sunday. Won't you support the effort to protect Clinton Hill from massive over-development? The development of Atlantic Yards doesn't have to be so huge and so environmentally disastrous! Right now, the only thing standing between reasonable development and massive over-development there are the eminent domain and environmental lawsuits. It is a David and Goliath thing – we 26 community groups against Ratner and his political cronies.

The time is short to get our walkers together and to find sponsors for everyone. Tish James, our hero who has lead the community on this lengthy fight, is our team leader this year. We need to show our support for her, help DDDB help us, and show that Fort Greene and Clinton Hill will again this year be one of the top producing teams.

Please consider being a walker and asking family and friends to sponsor you. If that isn't your thing, check out our team, sponsor Tish or someone else by making a donation on their behalf. Or, you can contribute to the team in general. You can also set up your own team, if you are so motivated. Remember, all contributions are tax-deductible!

This is really important and it is a fun and exciting day as well. The walk is short and easy with entertainment on both ends. So, please, go to the web site below and sign up. WE NEED YOU!

www.dddb.net/walkathon Our team is the Fort Greene – Clinton Hill Tish Team. Go to the site, see the list of teams on the right, scroll down to find our team, and join as a walker or be a sponsor of one of the walkers listed there. It is such a worthy cause …the scale and character of our neighborhood... our quality of life.

If you should have any problem making a credit card contribution, which is tax-deductible, you can:

1. Drop a check off to 138 Lafayette Ave. (corner of Carlton) and put in a note indicating you want it attributed to the Fort Greene – Clinton Hill Tish Team, or another team, and listing the walker you want to sponsor.

2. Mail a check to DDDB, 121 Fifth Ave., #150, Bklyn 11217 (include same note as above.)

3. Or, call Lucy at 718-938-3935 for help.

Make checks payable to DDDB-Legal Fund.

Walk with us…we need your help!

Society for Clinton Hill

Sports, Philanthropy and Networking

There's a new touch football league based at Brooklyn Tech in Fort Greene. Here's the info: ZogSports, the charity-focused, social, co-ed sports league for young professionals in their 20s and 30s, is coming to Brooklyn for the first time this fall and there is still room for people to sign up for our awesome co-ed Touch Football league!

ZogSports has spent the last four years helping young New Yorkers break the monotony of the typical day – work/gym/bar/home - by offering sports leagues, trips, social events, and volunteer opportunities. To date, they have brought together 33,000+ participants and given more than $290,000 to charity.

This fall, ZogSports expands to Brooklyn with Kickball in Prospect Park and Touch Football at Brooklyn Tech.

Participants can sign up as an entire team or as an individual/small group and we’ll place them on a team. Teammates get to know each other at the organized post-game happy hours at local bars.

As a philanthropy-focused organization, ZogSports donates a portion of all proceeds to charity, and helps all participants Play For Your Cause by making donations to winning teams’ charities of choice. Teams have the opportunity to win both on the field as well as off, with awards given for Best Team Name, Best Team Spirit, and Best Happy Hour Team. ZogSports also partners with local charitable organizations to promote/co-sponsor their events, and organizes charity events of its own.

If you are interested in posting some information about us, please feel free to check out our website at www.zogsports.org. We’re in the last few days of registration for the Brooklyn league, so people should sign up soon. If they want to come out and meet us, we’ll have a table at the Atlantic Antic this Sunday.

I suggested they start up a kickball league in FG Park, as that would be more my speed. My contact said she'll keep it in consideration.

green meeting 8/7

the green fort greene (and clinton hill) initiative will have it's next meeting next tuesday evening at 7pm at south oxford space (138 south oxford st. @ hanson place). you can read all about them and what they're trying to accomplish in our previous post, here. lots of work has been done already, but lots of work remains to be done, so come on by!

BARC Benefit in Fort Greene

Received this info from a reader: I wanted to write to you to let you know about an event I'm running in Fort Greene (in my backyard on Carlton Ave) next month. Its local, and its a charitable event, its competitive and its going to be incredibly silly, but fun. I thought it would be great to get some neighbors involved in the event, instead of just my regular crew.

Please take a look at the site. www.thegreathotdogcookoff.com And if you're a hot dog fan, you might it enjoy it yourself. The site has all the details about the event, how this started, and how people can sign up to attend or compete.

Proceeds benefit BARC shelter in Williamsburg.