56 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • MAY 30, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
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Find a home for a cute critter at Richmond Hill pet fair
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Th e Richmond Hill Block Association
(RHBA) will host its 12th Annual Pet
Adoption Fair on Saturday, June 15, from
noon to 4 p.m. at the Buddy Monument
Plaza in Forest Park, located at the intersection
Douglaston LCD to unveil student-made murals at local LIRR station
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@qns.com
@jenna_bagcal
Douglaston just got a little more beautiful
thanks to the work of some talented
student artists.
On Friday, May 31, the Douglaston
Local Development Corporation (DLDC)
will unveil six student-made murals in
partnership with Long Island Rail Road
(LIRR). LIRR recently installed the community
revitalization art projects at the
LIRR Underpass at the Douglaston station.
“We asked LIRR about a year or so ago
and told them we’d be happy to do a mural
project,” said DLDC President Rebecca
Gellos.
Gellos and the DLDC asked P.S. 98,
M.S. 67 and Divine Wisdom Catholic
Academy to participate in the project.
Th e schools were asked to create works
using nature, history and transportation
as themes. Groups of students from each
school were given free rein to create painted
artworks on pieces of plywood.
“Th e goal of public art is to promote a
diverse and stimulating cultural environment
to enrich the lives of residents, visitors
and the community. Th ese murals
represent some of the many hallmarks
of Douglaston — nature and history —
while acknowledging the local transportation
setting of the Douglaston Station
Plaza,” according to the LDC.
Gellos shared that other LIRR stations,
like the one in Forest Hills, have similar
public art projects by professional artists.
When the LDC asked local students
and their art teachers to create the murals,
she said she was “hoping for the best, but
wasn’t sure” what the completed works
would look like.
But aft er seeing the fi nished products,
Gellos shared that everyone was “really,
really happy with how they turned out.
Th e students are so talented.”
Gellos added that local politicians,
including Councilman Paul Vallone,
Senator John Liu and Assemblyman Ed
Braunstein, supported the creation of the
murals. Th e three lawmakers, along with
Congressman Tom Suozzi are slated to
attend Friday’s event.
In conjunction with the community art
celebration, the DLDC is also celebrating
the reopening of the pedestrian plaza
near the LIRR station. Aft er 18 months,
Gellos is excited that the shared space is
ready for the community to enjoy.
Upgrades and improvements include a
plaza resurfacing, new plantings and outdoor
tables and chairs. Gellos said that
the fi rst movie night of the season in the
new plaza attracted over 200 people.
Next month, the LDC is hosting a
movie night on June 21, when they also
plan to launch their new Little Free
Library.
Th e event is on Friday, May 31, from
11 to 1 p.m. For more information or to
RSVP, contact Rebecca Gellos at rebecca@
dougldc.org or 347-946-0017. Th ose
interested can also visit dougldc.org or
fi nd the Douglaston LDC Facebook page.
of Myrtle Avenue and Park Lane
South.
RHBA will be working in conjunction
with the ASPCA, Animal Care Centers
of New York City and Heavenly Angels
Rescue. Dogs and cats (spayed and neutered)
will be available for adoption and/
or fostering.
“We never really know how many pets
the rescue groups will bring,” said Paul
Bankert of RHBA, a community organization
that strives to improve the quality
of life for its residents. “Usually, there’s a
good mix of dogs and cats. Our goal is to
see as many pets adopted as possible. We
average 11 pets adopted during our four
hour event, but have seen as many as 15
pets fi nd their forever homes.”
In their previous events, the association
has helped more than 110 pets
fi nd their forever homes, according to
Bankert.
Adopting individuals and families will
receive pet supplies — a bowl, leash, collar
or a litter box and scoop, and a pet toy
(while supplies last) — donated by volunteers
from RHBA.
Th e RHBA monthly meeting on
Wednesday, May 29, will feature a guest
speaker from Animal Care Centers of
New York. Residents are welcomed to
stop by at 110-08 Jamaica Ave. at 7 p.m.
For more information on the Pet
Adoption Fair the RHBA can be reached
at 718-849-3759.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Photo courtesy of The Richmond Hill Block Association
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