IBDI GatewayJFK’s Spring Clean up
4 tons garbage removed by Wildcat workers to beautify area
Wildcat Neighborhood Improvement Program District 31 Council Member Donovan J. Richards and Executive Director: Scott Grimm-Lyon, AICP. Photo by Roland Pugh
York Aviation at Int’l women’s conference
BY SUJAYA ROY
YORK COLLEGE CHAPTER OF
WOMEN IN AVIATION
The 30th Annual Women
in Aviation International
Conference was held at the
Long Beach Convention Center
in Long Beach, California;
12 students and one faculty
from the CUNY Aviation
Institute at York College were
in attendance representing
the college. This annual event
attracts students and aviation
professionals from across the
nation. The York students
were members of the York
College student chapter of
Women in Aviation.
36 AIRPORT VOICE, APRIL 2019
We, the York College
CUNY Aviation Institute
students were blessed with
an opportunity to attend the
conference and set our feet
into the aviation networking
industry. The conference
accomplished the goal to
Connect, Engage and Inspire
aviation heroes and future
aviators. The conference had
approximately 5000 people
from diverse backgrounds
in attendance. We were able
to meet with astronauts,
corporate pilots, maintenance
technicians, air traffi c
controllers, business owners,
educators, journalists, fl ight
attendants, high school and
university students, and
airport managers. The exhibit
hall featured representatives
from 170 companies and
organizations, representing
all aspects of the aviation
community. Moreover,
numerous scholarships were
distributed to the youth
aviators for their academic
endeavors and career path in
aviation.
The conference provided
us a great opportunity for
networking with experienced
aviation professionals who
could guide us through the
requirements of one day
working for a major airline.
In addition, the workshops we
attended fascinated us to learn
about the history of women in
the fi eld of aviation. We aspire
to emulate the achievements of
past female aviators, and they
have become our role models.
Now we have an outline
to pursue towards our career
aspiration. Attending the
conference has molded our
leadership skills and enhanced
our perspective towards the
co-curricular activities such
as volunteering in the airport
exercise or participating in
Foreign Object Debris (FOD)
removal project under Port
Authority of New York & New
Jersey.
BY JEFF YAPALATER
Just in time for spring
GatewayJFK, a Queens business
improvement district,launched a new
neighborhood beautifi cation program
along Rockaway Blvd. Supported by
Councilman Donovan Richards, the
kickoff was a 2-day cleanup where 10
Wildcat Services workers went over
every street, sidewalk and median
in the 215-acre district to make
sure that the neighborhood was
thoroughly cleaned. Wildcat Services
provide transitional employment
and vocational training to public
assistance recipients, justiceinvolved
individuals and residents
of homeless shelters.
GatewayJFK is where logistics
and cargo, hotel, food service, other
industries, and a middle-class
community, call home. The mission
of GatewayJFK is to create a space
in New York where the air cargo
industry can expand, thrive, and be
a good neighbor according to Grimm
and Richards.
“This is the perfect time to hold
this event.” Said Scott Grimm-Lyon,
Executive Director of GatewayJFK.
“Spring Cleanings help us enjoy
the nice weather and by cleaning
the neighborhood, the workers and
residents of the area will be able
to take pride in their community
and feel like this is a place that’s
cared for, healthy, and economically
sound.”
GatewayJFK is home to over
600 businesses and 150 single
family households. Most business
in the area are customs brokers,
freight forwarders, shipping and
maintenance companies that
provide logistical support to the air
cargo industry operating out of JFK
airport. GatewayJFK is dedicated
to making the area a clean and safe
space to live in, work in, and invest in.
The efforts toward beautifi cation are
just the fi rst step in a larger vision.
“We’ve been working with NYPD to
help fi ght illegal dumping, and we’re
also conducting a full traffi c study of
the area” Grimm-Lyon said “
As part of continuing to improve
the quality of life in the Gateway area
Grimm said, “We’ve reported to the
City of NY:173 potholes, 104 sidewalk
or curb conditions, 83 other street
conditions, 33 requests for street
trees, 7 low hanging wires or other
utility issues, 4 broken bollards, 3
abandoned vehicles, and 5 locations
of illegal dumping.
GatewayJFK will be holding its
second annual meeting on Thursday
June 13th 2019 from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm
at the new TWA hotel. The meeting is
open to the public, but you have to be a
business owner, resident, or property
owner who lives in or owns a business
inside the district boundaries to vote
on offi cial business.
GatewayJFK is looking for
sponsors to help them install
additional banners in the district.
For more information please
contact Scott Grimm-Lyon at 516-730-
3400 or scott@gatewayjfk.org.
Sujaya Roy & Taslima Sarmin
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