Metropolitan Avenue Kids Clean Up

Bob Doocey, the Juniper Park Civic Association (JPCA), the 104th Precinct, and Councilman Dennis Gallagher have big plans for a clean up and theyre not going to do it alone. With the help of a whole lot of hardworking kids, they have planned a clean-up of Metropolitan Avenue on Saturday, June 7, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
As part of the regions ongoing war on graffiti, volunteers will be hitting the streets, armed with brooms, rakes and paintbrushes. Grownups and kids will paint over graffiti on storefronts, mailboxes and lightposts. They will also sweep up and rake litter off of the sidewalk and curb. Everyone will get face masks and gloves, but all volunteers should wear clothing that can get messy and dirty.
"We want volunteers, adult and kids. Parents bring your kids; kids bring your parents," said Doocey, who is organizing the clean-up. "We need twenty adults and twenty kids. Bring your neighbors, bring you uncle, and get out of the house on a nice day and help out."
In addition to locations on Metropolitan Avenue, volunteers will clean up up graffiti on a stretch of Juniper Valley North from 74th Street to 78th Street. In that area, the painting will include residential garages whose owners have given permission. The largest remaining graffiti location will be the Metropolitan Deli at Metropolitan Avenue and 71st Street. The owner of the Metropolitan Deli will be helping foot the bill for the paint.
Doocey believes that the deli alone will take two hours to complete and the private garages may take up to four hours. The other locations along Metropolitan Avenue will take two hours, though most of that time will be set up and break down.
Volunteers will be meeting at 9 a.m. at Dennis Gallaghers office at 78-25 Metropolitan Avenue on the day of the clean-up. Youngsters must have their parents permission to participate and should arrange to be dropped off and then picked up. Ideally, parents should join their kids in helping out, but if thats not possible, they should have a fully charged cell phone with them. Adult volunteers will take responsibility for the safety of the kids throughout the day, and everyone will be given refreshments, most likely pizza and soda.
Last months clean-up on Eliot Avenue was so successful that Bob Holden, president of JPCA, formally announced a plan to form a permanent youth organization that will be associated with the JPCA. As the plans for this group evolve, JPCA will notify parents, kids and area schools.