University Heights

Today was dedicated to working in Linear Park on the edge of the University Heights, the neighborhood nearest to the University at Buffalo's original (now called South) campus. We worked along side a crew from the Mayor's Impact Team to remove brush and trash from an overgrown part of the park. I suspect that a lot of the brush and fallen trees was the result of the infamous October storm in Buffalo a few years ago, and that the park has not been attended to as much as needed in recent years.

Other staff members from UB joined us from various areas of Student Affairs: Intercultural and Diversity Center, Student Life, Judicial Affairs, Career Services, Community Relations and the Center for Student Leadership and Community Engagement. Many thanks to Dan Ryan and Mary Clare Fahey from Off-Campus Services for helping to organize this project.

I was especially excited about this project and have a new personal interest in University Heights. I also think working in campus-community relations may be something I want to pursue in the future. I think that UB's relationship with the Heights is essential to the success of the university and the community. I think they have always depended on each other and now there is a new positive inertia in that relationship. It is something I was thrilled to be a part of. I hope that this is just one of many projects to come that focus on University Heights, the relationship between UB and the city of Buffalo.

We did experience both rain and snow today, and by the time we broke for lunch at the Gloria J. Parks Community Center, we all needed to warm up. Dan Ryan came to the rescue though, purchasing new socks for everyone and showing everyone how to put plastic bags over their shoes. As he and Mary Clare said, like they did with bread bags to go out and play in the snow when they were children in Buffalo.

I think today was a good example to being a Good Neighbor. I was happy to be a part of this group and today's efforts.