Queens Little Leaguers Join NYC Parks for Cleanup During 9th Annual 'Pitch In For Parks'

On Saturday, April 5, Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski joined State Senator Tony Avella, Council Member Paul Vallone and nearly 100 kids from the Dwarf-Giraffe Athletic League to spruce up the ballfields at Harvey Park in anticipation of the spring playing season.

"'Pitch in for Parks' helps us to get Queens' ballfields ready for opening day, but more importantly teaches kids a lifelong lesson about stewardship and the importance of taking care of their neighborhood parks," said Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski. "A great park is the foundation of any great community, and parks thrive when the people who use them invest in making them better. I would like to thank the members of the Dwarf-Giraffe Athletic League and all the volunteers in Queens who helped to improve our parks."

In total, more than 750 little leaguers volunteered to clean, rake and paint benches at 13 parks across Queens as part of NYC Parks' 9th annual "Pitch In for Parks" Day. All participants received certificates of participation, refreshments, and giveaways.

As we enter the spring season, Parks is raising awareness throughout the parks community about litter. Our goals for a more sustainable city depend on everyone doing their part to reduce their impact on the land and respect the open green spaces we share. We encourage all New Yorkers to follow these simple steps to reduce litter in parks:

· Recycle and throw out trash in proper receptacles.

· If there aren't trash receptacles in the area, like along our nature trails, carry trash out of the park.

· Show you care by organizing a cleanup project in your park.

· If you observe recurring litter conditions in a park, call 311, and let us know where the problems are.

For more information about New York City's parks, or to learn ways that you can volunteer, visit nyc.gov/parks.

You can watch a video about Pitch in for Parks at youtu.be/PYBJUsMFvxc.