[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 74 (Thursday, May 20, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1051]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 A TRIBUTE TO REVITALIZATION OF THE SOUTHERN AREA OF THE SLOPE (ROSAS) 
        ON THE OCCASION OF ITS COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS BANQUET

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ANTHONY D. WEINER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 20, 1999

  Mr. WEINER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to invite my colleagues to pay 
tribute to Revitalization of the Southern Area of the Slope (ROSAS) on 
the occasion of its Community Service Awards Banquet.
  The members of ROSAS have long been known for their commitment to 
community service and to enhancing the quality of life for all New York 
City residents.
  This banquet is not only a festive happening, it is a chance for all 
of us to celebrate and pay tribute to a group of individuals who have 
dedicated their lives to helping others. This year's honorees truly 
represent the best of what our community has to offer.
  Simon Brooking is the President of the 6th Avenue & 15th Street 
Community Garden and a former ROSAS board member. He is a staunch 
advocate for community green spaces, composting and ROSAS' anti 
graffiti campaign. His painting company, The Flying Scotsman, helped 
art teacher Alison Conte and local children create a mural on 14th 
Street and 5th Avenue in Brooklyn. Simon and his wife Sheila have built 
a partnership with the Sierra Club to promote organic waste composting. 
Perhaps the Garden's greatest gift is providing area children with the 
opportunity to express themselves through their gardening and artistic 
talents. The Children's Creative Workshop, now entering its fourth 
year, is one such program that is available to Park Slope's children.
  Carolyn Greer has spent the last four and a half years with New York 
State Senator Marty Markowitz and has lived up to the Senator's mandate 
that his staff be responsive to the needs of his constituents. As the 
Senator's Director of Community Programming, she handled complaints, 
responded to issues and identified and addressed community needs. 
Carolyn Greer is a founding member of South Brooklyn Hockey, which has 
ice and roller teams, and serves on the board of the Russian American 
Kids Circus. She is the author of the PS 321 Newsletter and is the 
founder of the PS 321 Holiday Helper Project, an annual drive for new 
clothes that are donated anonymously to several hundred needy public 
school children.
  As ROSAS' Co-President in 1993 and 1994, Roger C. Melzer documented 
the extensive damage being done to Prospect Park by unrestricted 
barbequing, organized community meetings to discuss the problem and 
worked to have regulations and enforcement imposed. He remains a strong 
advocate for more enforcement, better maintenance and more capital 
funding to preserve the natural aspects of Prospect Park. As a twenty-
year resident of Park Slope, Roger has been a regular participant at 
Community Boards 6 and 7 meetings where his focus has been to ensure 
that city agencies provide service to residents in Park Slope and 
Windsor Terrace and to facilitate new initiatives as a means of 
resolving neighborhood problems.
  All of today's honorees have long been known as innovators and 
beacons of good will to all those with whom they come in contact. 
Through their dedicated efforts, they have each helped to improve my 
constituents' quality of life. In recognition of their many 
accomplishments on behalf of my constituents, I offer my 
congratulations on their being honored by ROSAS.

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