Prospect Park

The Daily Plant : Thursday, March 21, 2002

PARKIES MARCH WITH PRIDE

The morning started out cold and overcast, but it was under a warm and sunny sky that the Parks contingent marched up Fifth Avenue in the City’s largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday. Behind a sharp-looking Color Guard from the Urban Park Services, Plumber Tom Meehan from Brooklyn led Parkies as the Emerald Society Grand Marshall of this year’s parade. He was joined by Commissioner Benepe, Deputy Commissioner Liam Kavanagh, Queens FOM and Emerald Society President Greg Monaghan, and PRM and Emerald Vice President Chris Rumpf.

"The crowd was very enthusiastic. I had a lot of fun," commented Benepe. The Parks coordinator for the event, Chris Rumpf, said it as the largest turnout yet with over 100 Parkies and their family and friends marching up the Avenue. After the event, the Emerald Society provided the usual luncheon in the Arsenal Gallery, featuring corned beef, meatless Shepherd Pie and plenty of Guinness Beer to satisfy the thirstiest of marchers. Entertainment was provided by SPMO and vocalist P-J Greiner, guitarist Joe Hennessy, and Arborist for Prospect Park Mike McComiskey, on the Bohdran Drum.

Greg Monaghan thanked Ed Raasch for his support and Assistant Commissioner Jack Linn for helping to make the luncheon possible. Also acknowledged were Deputy Inspector Ray Brown for arranging the Color Guard and the scouts from Boy Scout Troop 237, who prepared the buffet. He encouraged everyone to come to the Emerald Society’s Annual Dinner Dance on Thursday, March 21, at Durow’s Restaurant in Queens. Among those to be honored at the dinner dance are Deputy Commissioner Liam Kavanagh, who will receive the Presidents Award, SPMO John Fitzgerald as "Man of the Year," and APSW Shirley Puglia as "Woman of the Year."

Yesterday marked the first official day of spring and also the Vernal Equinox. In Latin, vernal means "spring" and equinox means "equal night." Yesterday was one of two days out of the entire year when the northern and southern hemisphere receive equal amounts of light, and the day and night are equal lengths.

At the Central Park Dairy, Parks bid farewell to winter at a morning event with Urban Park Rangers and schoolchildren from PS 194. Commissioner Benepe marked the Vernal Equinox by leading the Rangers in teaching the school children a lesson on the myth surrounding this day.

Rumor has it that the earth’s alignment with the sun makes it perfect for balancing eggs. Physics experts insist that there is no scientific basis behind these claims and that any day of the year is fine for balancing eggs. Rumor or no rumor, eggs were balanced on their tips yesterday. Deputy Director of the Rangers, Matt Symons, juggled eggs to the excitement of the schoolchildren.

There are dozens of stories explaining the origin of the egg myth. Some attribute it to a Life Magazine article published in May 1945. In it, the reporter describes a Chinese ritual of balancing eggs on the first day of spring. What the article fails to explain, however, is that in China, the first day of spring is celebrated in early February—six weeks before the Vernal Equinox.

Though yesterday was a rainy start to spring, days will begin growing longer than nights and the temperature will get warmer. The lucky schoolchildren on a field trip to Central Park also participated in a botany activity from the Rangers "Natural Classroom" Program. The Natural Classroom is a series of nine programs focused on turning the outdoors of NYC into an educational experience that can not be matched. To commemorate the beginning of spring, each student left with a potted flower that they can help grow during the warmer months. The Daily Plant enthusiastically welcomes spring and hopes for rain in the coming weeks.

"We wove a web in childhood,
A web of sunny air."

Charlotte Bronte
(March 21, 1816-1855)