Central Park

The Daily Plant : Tuesday, December 31, 2002

WEP HOLIDAY PARTY IN BROOKLYN BRINGS HOLIDAY CHEER

On Monday, December 16th, the weather outside the Prospect Park Picnic House was frightful, but inside it was indeed delightful as participants of the Work Experience Program (WEP) gathered and received gifts for their children. The gifts were collected through this year's WEP holiday gift drive. Gifts were donated by Parks employees, corporations, and non-profit organizations like Kids In Distressed Situations (KIDS). The gift drive is a demonstration of appreciation to all of the WEP participants for their hard work in parks, playgrounds, and recreation centers in New York City; helping to greatly improve the quality of the City's 28,000 acres of parkland. In Brooklyn, 100 WEP participants showed up to enjoy a sumptuous lunch and holiday music. The annual event is coordinated by the Central WEP office, however Parkies from many different departments and locations joined in to ensure that every child would receive wrapped gifts for the holidays.

In the hours that preceded the party, Parkies raced around the picnic house decorating it in holiday cheer. Deputy Chief of Operations, Tom Ching set up Christmas trees, while Brooklyn WEP coordinator, Kent Stridiron, arranged the chicken parmesan, and sausage and peppers next to spaghetti and meatballs, salad, and eggplant parmesan. WEP analyst, Chris Chapman, and Crew Chief Dockery assembled party favors to give to everyone as they walked through the door.

Upon the attendees' arrival, Deputy Chief of Administrative Services, Brenda Lacy piled food onto plates. After the meal, WEP participants joined Brooklyn Borough Commissioner Julius Spiegel, Chief of Operations Charles Gili and the crew chiefs on the stage where they received armful loads of gifts. Gifts for over 300 children were provided.

Special efforts were made by Kathy Walker and the Bronx WEP office, Barbara Cooper and the Mayor's Clothing Bank staff, the Central and Brooklyn WEP offices, Brooklyn's Storehouse, Managers Sigadel, Grattan, Neglia, DeCesario, and Wilken, to make sure the party was a great success.

Here’s the Central Park Resevoir, as described in John Irving’s novel, The Hotel New Hampshire, published in 1981.

"Lilly’s publisher put us up at the Stanhope on Eighty-first and Fifth Avenue; Lilly had asked to be near the Metropolitan Museum and I had asked to be near Central Park—I wanted to run. And so I ran around and around the Reservoir, four times around, twice a day—that last lap luxurious with pain, my head lolling, the tall buildings of New York appearing to topple over me."

"True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind

and exercise of the body; the two are ever united."

Humboldt

Know Before You Go

Harlem Meer Center (formerly Lasker Rink)

Harlem Meer Center