On February 23, ASEZ students hosted a graffiti removal event. They worked in partnership with the Village of Hempstead Mayor Don Ryan and the Hempstead Chamber of Commerce. They also received support from community leaders and volunteers from the village. Students from SUNY Old Westbury, Hofstra, Nassau Community College and NYIT came together. The event was a part of ASEZ’s Reduce Crime Together campaign. The campaign encourages a clean environment to promote safe neighborhoods.
ASEZ Receives a Citation for Their Dedication to Volunteer Work
Senator Kevin Thomas of the 6th district, Supervisor Donald Clavin, Councilman Donald Dunn, Senior Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby, Mayor Don Ryan, and the President of the Chamber of Commerce Clariona Griffith all attended the event. They gave the volunteers encouraging words to start off. Afterward, the Supervisor of the Town of Hempstead presented a Citation to the ASEZ volunteers and thanked them for their efforts.
“I think it’s awesome to see the great turnout you have here today. So many young people that want to help beautify and improve the community,” said Supervisor Clavin. I think it sends a great message to everyone in this community that people want to work together and do what’s right for everybody so I applaud and salute all of you.”
Volunteers Get to Work on Graffiti Removal
Students worked in teams to cover sections of Main Street and Fulton Street. Some teams collected debris along the sidewalk. And others cleaned off the graffiti on the buildings. Students felt grateful they could help transform the appearance of the Hempstead community.
“This is my first-time volunteering for anything in general, so it’s a very great experience. I love how everybody is so involved and helpful,” said Huenices, a SUNY Old Westbury student. Even when you don’t know what you’re doing when it’s a first-time thing, it wasn’t that bad after all. I was really looking forward to this, the before and after are very impressive. I feel very good overall. It’s a good feeling that you just did something good not for yourself but for somebody else in this community.”
ASEZ students will continue to dedicate themselves to their community to make a positive impact. Removing graffiti from walls and buildings can significantly transform the appearance of a neighborhood. So, volunteers will continue to strive to do their part for the environment.
To learn more about ASEZ and its activities, click here!
