Jun 3, 2013 3 min read Church Avenue Business Improvement District

Thanks To All Our Neighbors Who Helped Clean Up Ditmas Park On Saturday!

An enormous thank you to everyone who came out to pick up trash, paint over graffiti, plant flowers in tree beds, and generally help the neighborhood look a whole lot nicer during the annual beautification event led by the Flatbush Development Corporation and the Church Avenue Business Improvement District.

We took a few photos of the volunteers, as did neighbors Nathan Thompson and his friend Dalton, Nicole Francis, William Bredbeck, the FDC, and the BID. Take a look at everyone in action all over the neighborhood!

Lauren Elvers-Collins, executive director of the BID, learned she’s a pretty good “graffiti” artist herself with this chalk work.

Tiny Volunteer at Church Ave Cleanup, via sssnole

William shares this shot of one of the smallest volunteers doing a very big job (that looks like it literally paid off)!

LDS volunteers at cleanup with a mailbox "before"

Nicole snapped these before and after shots of Sisters Blosil and Hopkins, from the Church Of Latter Day Saints on Glenwood and Argyle, tackling a relay mail box. Many thanks to them, and the many Sisters and Brothers who also came out to help, including the two below, who I met as they were painting a fire call box on Cortelyou.

You volunteers during cleanup on Newkirk Plaza

It was pretty hot in the sun on Newkirk Plaza, but these girls were having a lot of fun anyway!

Folks could be spotted painting from Avenue H to Caton, including these volunteers on Cortelyou and Beverley.

And yes, there was a lot of paper to be shredded on Newkirk Ave!

Nathan and Melissa doing cleanup work on E 17th

Volunteer getting the highest point of cleanup on E 18th

The Brooks family during cleanup, via Nathan Thompson

Lauren, Nathan, and volunteers during cleanup, via Nathan Thompson

Happy line of volunteers getting food after cleanup

Photos above from Nathan and Dalton show volunteers around Church Avenue, as well as the after-volunteering BBQ that Nathan graciously hosted, and did some magic during.

Turns out William didn’t catch the tiniest volunteer — looks like Robin Redmond, executive director of the FDC, found someone even younger eager to help with the painting! This and the photos below are from the FDC, and you can see more in their album on Facebook.

sssnole and other cleanup volunteers at BBQ, via FDC

To anyone who’s never joined in on this annual event, it’s really a lot of fun, and a great way to not just help out the community, but it’s a terrific way to meet some neighbors. If you can spare a few hours, be sure to come out next year!