Citibank leads park clean up

An overcast morning, interrupted by a few drizzles did not deter Citibank employees from pitching in to clean up the debris and garbage littering Cunningham Park's perimeter on 210th Street and its hiking trails.
&#8220The Corporate Volunteer Cleanup,” held on Tuesday, August 15, was sponsored by Citibank to &#8220give back” to the Queens community, in which the global banking organization has 46 financial institutions.
&#8220This is a way for the employees of Citibank to do something for the community in which they live and work. A way to deepen our roots within the community,” said Pat Edwards, Citibank Director of Community Relations.
Armed with black plastic garbage bags, work gloves, and picks, Citibank employees joined with students from the GRADS Foundation, a non-profit organization in Jamaica, which encourages and prepares adolescents to complete high school and pursue post secondary or technical/vocational education.
Supervisors from the New York City Parks department were on hand to guide the volunteers deep into the parks wooded areas, steering them to the worst debris laden locations.
The cleanup precedes Citibank's Annual &#8220Family Day” picnic, scheduled for August 27 in Cunningham Park. The picnic will host approximately 800 Citibank employees and their families for a day of fun festivities, including a potato sack race and a softball game.