18 The Courier SUN • FEBRUARY 13, 2014 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com 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 SCOTT BARON’S STAR OF QUEENS PHOTO COURTESY OF FACEBOOK CRISTINA FURLONG CO-FOUNDER OF MAKE QUEENS SAFER COMMUNITY SERVICE: Following “too many” pedestrian deaths, Furlong and her group, Make Queens Safer, are trying to target reckless driving, one roadway at a time. “Pedestrians sometimes don’t have the tools they need, they were never educated on the danger,” she said. Her group is focusing on an education program, reaching out to everyone from the borough’s youth to local elected officials. The program includes a safe driver pledge for drivers to acknowledge patience and eliminate distraction while on the roads. BACKGROUND: Furlong is a 10-year resident of Queens, currently living in Jackson Heights. She is an avid cycler and works as a tour guide for Bike the Big Apple, which provides bike tours throughout the five boroughs. “As a cyclist, I’ve always been interested in safety. But when Laura Newman, Make Queens Safer co-founder posted a boy was killed by a drunk driver and put a call to action, I was 100 percent on board,” Furlong said. “We had to do something.” FAVORITE MEMORY: “The best thing that’s come out of this is being able to support families who have suffered a lot,” Furlong said. “Mothers whose children were killed by drivers, they have no place to go.” After a vigil the group hosted for pedestrian victims, Mayor Bill de Blasio held a press conference in Queens to announce his vision of zero pedestrian fatalities. “That was a memorable thing,” Furlong said. “Of all places, he chose Queens, recognizing that we have the highest pedestrian injury rate in the city.” BIGGEST CHALLENGE: For Furlong, the biggest challenge her group faces is getting people to change their consciousness about reckless driving, she said. They frequently stop drivers on the street to relay safe driving tips, and aren’t always warmly welcomed. “But we need to establish a responsibility behind the wheel,” she said. INSPIRATION: “I think inspiration comes from the people,” Furlong said, referring to parents, family members and friends who have lost loved ones due to reckless driving. “They’re always available and working so hard with us. I want them to know, hopefully, we’ll change things,” she said. Armando Tejeda Relationship Manager 7 1 8 . 6 4 0 . 3 1 6 7 PAYMENT PROCESSING TO SIMPLIFY YOUR BUSINESS OPERATIONS You have inventory to manage, employees to supervise and reports to complete. Go ahead, we’ll make sure your card payments are safely, securely and quickly being processed. • Simple to read transparent statements • No hidden credit card processing fees • Wholesale pricing for everyone! • Personalized service 24hr/365 days • Next-day funding PAYROLL SOLUTIONS WITH SIMPLE PRICING AND NO DECEPTIVE HIKES Our comprehensive suite of payroll and human resource related solutions will help ensure that your employees are paid right, and your chances of costly litigation and regulatory audits are reduced. • Efficient payroll service that adapts to your changing needs without hidden fees. • On-demand human resources services included! • 3 year price lock MARKETING SOLUTIONS THAT ATTRACT NEW CUSTOMERS AND RETAIN EXISTING ONES We’ll help you keep your business on top of customers’ minds with solutions that not only drive retention and boost revenue, but are customizable and simple to implement. • Gift Cards • Loyalty programs • Mobile solutions
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