VOLUNTEERS HELP CLEAN UP RAIN GARDENS IN ELMHURST
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | NOV. 26 - DEC. 2, 2021 19
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Councilman James Gennaro
and local elected officials
joined community leaders to
host the New York City Council’s
Diwali Festival at Queens
College’s Lefrak Concert Hall
on Saturday, Nov. 13.
The celebration, which is
usually held every year at City
Hall, was canceled last year
due to COVID-19.
This year’s sold-out event
was organized by Gennaro,
who represents the 24th
Council District, and District
Leader Neeta Jain.
“I was thrilled to host this
weekend’s Diwali event at
Queens College. Diwali is a
time to celebrate the triumph
of light over darkness, knowledge
over ignorance, and good
over evil. It is a beautiful tradition,
and I am honored to have
played a role in bringing the
festival to Queens this year,”
Gennaro said.
Diwali — known as the festival
of lights — is one of the
major festivals celebrated by
Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and even
some Buddhists. Each religion
has its own historical narrative
behind the holiday. Diwali
is widely observed among
more than a billion people
from a variety of faiths across
India and its diaspora.
The five days of Diwali are
marked by prayer, feasts, fireworks,
family gatherings and
charitable giving.
Deputy Consul General
of India Dr. Varun Jeph, who
was in attendance at the festival
on Saturday, said Diwali
truly reflects the American
and Indian values of celebrating
diversity and of embracing
different cultures.
“New York is no stranger
to Diwali and its symbolic relevance.
It is very heartening
to see the festival of lights being
celebrated here with great
joy and fervor — not only by
the South-Asian community,
but also by members of diverse
ethnicities and nationalities,
just like the Indian-American
community celebrates Christmas
and other festivals passionately
and with great merriments,”
Jeph said. “May the
festival of lights bring joy, love,
peace, prosperity and good
health to everyone.”
The celebration at Queens
College included a peace
prayer by Dr. Krishna Pratap
Dixit; a lamp lightning ceremony;
and a Ganesh vandana
prayer by the members
of the Hindu Temple Society
of North America. Performances
included a Bollywood
medley performed by Anadita
Guha; Sarva Devatha Anjali
performed by the Mukthambar
Fine Arts Team; Nagade
Sang Dhol Baje performed by
Dr. Sumita Guha; and Masala
Bhangra performed by Sarina
Jain and her team.
Jain says she is looking
forward to celebrating Diwali
again at City Hall next year
with more joy of having it as
a New York City public school
holiday.
“May the lamps (Diya) of
Diwali (Deepavali) illuminate
everyone’s life with happiness,
peace and good health. Wish
you and your family a very
prosperous Diwali and a happy
new year!” Jain said. “On this
Diwali, let’s make a promise
to bring lights into people’s
lives who suffered during this
pandemic, and also pray to god
for good health and fortune for
everyone.”
Other Queens elected officials,
including City Council
members Barry Grodenchik,
Peter Koo and Assemblyman
David Weprin, attended the
event.
It was an honor for Grodenchik
to once again co-sponsor
the City Council’s Diwali event
and to join his friends and
neighbors for a beautiful celebration
in Queens, he said.
“I cannot think of a better
start to the holiday season,”
Grodenchik said.
Koo, who was also a
co-sponsor of this year’s event,
wished everyone a blessed,
healthy and prosperous
holiday.
“Diwali is a festival of new
beginnings and of light and
hope,” Koo said. “May hope
and light guide us all this Diwali
and this holiday season!”
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718) 260–
4526.
BY ALICIA VENTER
Volunteers in Elmhurst
helped clean up the community
last month during a
neighborhood rain garden
cleanup day, where they
planted sustainable vegetation,
leveled the soil and
cleaned the rain gardens in
the area.
The event, which took
place on Wednesday, Oct. 20,
was a collaborative effort between
the P.S./I.S. 102Q Bayview’s
Parent Association
(Q102PA) volunteers, the Office
of the Public Advocate
Jumaane Williams and the
NYC Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP).
Beginning at Seabury
Street and Grand Avenue in
Elmhurst, volunteers were
given training by the NYC
DEP about the importance
of rain gardens, wastewater
management and infrastructure.
“With recent devastating
flooding in Queens, we saw
the consequences of failure
to upgrade NYC’s climate
infrastructure or plans,”
Williams wrote on Twitter
following the cleanup.
“But yesterday, we saw what
neighbors can do to help
protect our communities
against future floods as we
cleaned rain gardens and
improved resiliency.”
Soon after being thanked
by Williams and DEP Commissioner
Vincent Sapienza,
the volunteers got to work.
“Over the last several
years, DEP has built about
11,000 rain gardens across
the city to augment the sewer
system during rain storms
and reduce flooding,” said
Ted Timbers, a DEP spokesperson.
“Engaging the community
on the critical role
the rain gardens play in
keeping New Yorkers safe,
and the importance of keeping
them free of litter will
help to improve everyone’s
quality of life.”
All the equipment needed
for the event, such as planting
tools, gloves, safety vests
and grabbers, were provided
by the DEP.
With their motto, “Together
We Soar!,” the Parent
Association proudly helped
their community, and plans
to do more community service
events in the future.
Volunteers held a neighborhood rain garden cleanup day in Elmhurst in October.
Photo courtesy of public advocate’s offi ce
The Diwali festival, which is traditionally held at City Hall, was
hosted at Queens College’s LeFrak Concert Hall on Saturday, Nov.
13. Courtesy of Gennaro’s offi ce
Lawmakers host New York City Council
Diwali celebration at Queens College
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