[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 175 (Wednesday, December 11, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1840]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE PARKSIDE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION AS THEY CELEBRATE THEIR 
                            50TH ANNIVERSARY

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                           HON. BRIAN HIGGINS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 11, 2013

  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate 
Buffalo's Parkside Community Association (PCA) for celebrating its 50th 
anniversary in association with the organization's years of dedicated 
community service. The PCA will celebrate this impressive landmark on 
Friday, December 6th at the greatbatch pavilion on the Darwin D. Martin 
House Complex of Buffalo.
  Throughout its storied and active past, the PCA has continually 
sought to meet the challenges that older urban neighborhoods often 
present. Some of these hurdles include absentee landlords, zoning and 
code issues, infrastructure deterioration and cutbacks in city 
services.
  The organization is governed by a Board of Directors which comprises 
20 members who all serve on a volunteer basis. Each Board member is 
elected annually by a neighborhood membership of more than 500 
individuals, families, and business owners. It is more than appropriate 
that the PCA's leadership consists of volunteers, as they are truly the 
backbone of the organization. Eight or more standing and ad-hoc 
committees consisting of neighborhood volunteers regularly contribute 
an impressive average of 130 volunteer hours per month.
  The PCA provides countless services to local homeowners and the 
surrounding community. In addition to providing referral and crime 
prevention services for neighborhood residents as well as assisting in 
the formation of block clubs and community meetings, the PCA also 
stages neighborhood tours, hosts programs including the Summer Arts 
Camp and Little Library Program, and manages committees on crime and 
safety, housing, and traffic. The PCA was instrumental with the opening 
of the Parkside COPS Satellite station which addresses quality of life 
issues, and helped to restore two vacant buildings along the major 
commercial boundaries. The organization has even assisted some 
homeowners with property improvements through low-interest loans.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to commend 
the Parkside Community Association of Buffalo on their 50 years of 
devoted service to their community. It is the admirable hard work and 
dedication from organizations like the PCA that maintains the strength 
and integrity of our neighborhoods. I wish the Parkside Community 
Association the absolute best in all their future endeavors.

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