More than 100 volunteers turned out on Saturday to clean up graffiti in Sunnyside (Photo: QueensPost)
May 14, 2011 Staff Report
The event, organized by the Sunnyside United Neighborhood Network (SUNN), drew a disparate group of volunteers– from members of the Sunnyside Woodside Boys & Girls Club to attendees of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day saints. Members of labor union 79 were also out in force, along with Sunnyside locals.
The volunteers met on the corner of 49th and Skillman Ave. at 10:00 am and were greeted with donuts and coffee. The organizers split the volunteers into groups and sent them out with paint cans, brushes and other tools. Each group was assigned a certain district within the northern section of Sunnyside. Their job description was straight forward: find graffiti and paint over it with the appropriate color.
Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer and former councilman Eric Gioia both attended the spring event and participated in the cleanup.
The original founders of the nine-year old group, Julie and Lew Story, received a round of applause when it was announced that they were leaving the neighborhood to retire. Fortunately, the volunteer group has taken root in the community and the organization will not be in jeopardy by their departure.
The group holds two main events each year — a spring and fall cleanup.
