60 The QUEE NS Courier • september 12, 2013 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com SCOTT BARON’S STAR OF QUEENS Harriet Krasnoff Alley Pond Environmental Center Bronx Zoo COMMUNITY SERVICE: Harriet Krasnoff is the head of the Outreach Program at the Alley Pond Environmental Center (APEC), a program in which animals are brought to hospitals, nursing homes and hospices to let residents there interact with them. Before she started doing this with APEC, Krasnoff was in charge of the same program at the Bronx Zoo for 35 years. BACKGROUND: Krasnoff was born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1927, and came to America in 1948 as a Holocaust survivor. During her childhood, she spent most of her time in the Frankfurt Zoo, where she learned how to handle animals. It was there that her love for animals originated. “I’ve wanted to help people ever since I was a child,” she said. “Then my husband found an ad in the newspaper saying that volunteers were needed at the Bronx Zoo, and that’s how Outreach got started. After one of Krasnoff’s friends suggested tthey bring animals from the zoo to hospitals and hospices, she began bringing mammals, reptiles and birds to facilities all around New York. “It’s a wonderful feeling seeing these people who seem like they couldn’t care less about anything perk up and get involved,” Krasnoff said. “When I see the looks on people’s faces, it makes me feel like I’ve really accomplished something. And that makes my life worthwhile.” FAVORITE MEMORY: “One of my favorite memories is from Calvary Hospital,” Krasnoff said. “A man who simply did not want to be brought down to the main room to be part of things came down and decided he would take a look. He wound up getting so involved, he called his nurse later on and said, ‘You know what? For the last hour, I forgot I was sick. I forgot for the last hour that I was dying.’ Now that’s a statement that I’ll never forget.” BIGGEST CHALLENEGE: “My biggest challenge is always having to find somebody else to work with. I can only do the Outreach Program once a week now, and there aren’t many volunteers since most people have their own jobs and can’t go out. I do the very best to make people happy every day now with my partner, John Burkitt. He’s as big a part of this program as I am.” INSPIRATION: “My inspiration is to make people happy for as long as I can. As long as I can hope to stay well enough, I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing. At my age, there’s always a limit for one reason or another, after having done this for 40 years. I just look forward to being with people and creating smiles.” BY JOHANN HAMILTON brought to you by SCOTT BARON & ASSOCICATES, P.C. Attorneys & Counselors at Law 1-866-WAS-HURT (866) 927-4878 718.738.9800 star OF queens Our job is making sure no longer goes that waste to waste. Find out more at ThinkGreen.com Energy creation. Recycling programs. Closed-loop solutions. Those are just a few of the innovations we’re delivering for customers and communities alike. We live in a world where things can no longer go to waste. That’s why Waste Management is working to get the most from resources. It’s good for business and the environment. ©2012 Waste Management, Inc. Legally Speaking By: Scott Baron, Attorney at Law The victim who cannot remember Q: My husband has no memory of his accident: his head injuries plunged him into a coma and resulted in post-traumatic amnesia. The police say that a truck in the left lane became disabled. Its driver got the truck to the far right lane, but then came to a full stop there, even though the truck had sufficient momentum to get onto the shoulder. The driver also failed to set off flares and place reflective triangles. Had these devices been properly placed at the appropriate distances, my husband would have had time to avoid the stalled truck and be warned of its presence, significantly increasing his ability to react and maneuver his car so as to avoid the truck. Trucks are not permitted in the left lane in the area where the accident occurred. If the truck driver had been traveling in the right lane, he surely would have been able to stop on the shoulder. The roadway was straight and level, making it very difficult to judge the separation distance and leaving my husband with virtually no perceptual cues. A: When an accident victim passes away or suffers from amnesia, the courts are more open than ever to the kind of evidence that you have described. Note that you will be suing, not only the truck driver and his employer, but also any outside entity that has been responsible for maintenance and repairs of the truck. These negligent repair people helped to launch a ‘dangerous instrumentality’. Advertorial The law responds to changed conditions; exceptions and variations abound. Here, the information is general; always seek out competent counsel. This article shall not be construed as legal advice Copyright © 2013 Scott Baron & Associates, P.C. All rights reserved. 159-49 Cross Bay Boulevard, Howard Beach, New York 11414 1750 Central Park Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10710 718-738-9800, 914-337-9800, 1-866-927-4878
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