Thursday, June 16, 2005
Good local people; the passing of Jeanne Tregre
LOOKING AHEAD by Wally Dobelis
In recent weeks I have been beset with global scale pessimistic thoughts about the future of the city, state, nation and beyond, nothing minor, you know. While in this depressed state, worthy of Dr Paranoia, I unearthed some overlooked mail, including an invitation to the 24th Annual Dinner of Concerned Citizens Speak, a/k/a CCS, a mysterious organization that surfaces once a year, to hold a dinner, recognize worthy community leaders for what they are doing, hold a raffle where every ticket-holder – well, nearly every – wins a dinner, free business cards and other worthwhile prizes donated by neighborhood merchants. The money raised goes into local charities, and holiday season gifts for children in hospitals and shelters.
Noting the event, the thought struck that in my description the words “community” and “local” keep recurring with some frequency. We are a really together neighborhood, despite our personal differences. A group like CCS proves it. Organized to give a forum to the opinions of a group of friends who felt that non-partisan views and recommendations deserved an outlet, it has done so for the past 25 years, by newsletter and honoring the worthy community leaders, writers and activists (I admit my bias, having been honored a decade ago, along with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver), no big deal, just telling people that their good deeds have been recognized. and letting the public know of their good deeds. Local merchants support CCS by donating good prizes, we the residents support it, and the recipients of awards are glad to be appreciated in a world that often recognizes activity by criticizing the leaders. And speaking of our community activists, my short list here barely makes a dent. More is to come in future months.
So, more power to John F. Bringamann, one of the founders and the long-time Chairman of CCS, whom many of us know as a print-shop manager, retired secretary and key-keeper of the Gramercy Park Trustees, and an all-around helping hand in community affairs. Other members of his Board include Richard Jordan, an NGO executive at the UN, Gerard Schriffen, former Assistant District Attorney, schoolteacher, voice of the Manhattan Neighborhood Council and current candidate for the City Council vacancy, Alvin Doyle the head of ST/PCV Tenants Association, attorney Thomas R. Stevens, and community activists Lillian Tompkins and Pearl Messlin, who keep the CCS affairs going.
To recognize the honorees, Sharon Ullman, president of the 23rd Street Association, has been a neighborhood mover and shaker for the past decade, moving the agenda of the chief business street on the northern edge of T&V Country. The membership of 400 includes some business giants such as Met Life, NY Life, Home Depot and major banks. The 12M renovation project of the neglected Madison Square Park through the efforts of a new park advisory was the Association’s initiative, resulting in a full rebirth, reminiscent of that of Union Square Park two decades ago Her current effort is to create a BID to cover 23rd to 28th Streets, river to river. The Association maintains relationships with four community boards, the 10th and 13th Precincts, Congresswoman Maloney, assemblymembers, City Councilpeople and other representatives, to make sure that the needs of our area are looked after.
Another honoree, the Grace and Hope Mission on Third Avenue at 14th Street, has been looking after the down-and-out members of our communities since 1914, first in Baltimore, then spreading in East Coast cities from Norfolk to Boston, arriving in New York’s Times Square in 1930. Relocated to Park Row (nearer the Skid Row), they finally came to the current location in 1964. A predecessor of the both privately and city-supported Partnership for the Homeless programs, this very privately funded organization looks after the spiritual and bodily needs of their guests on a smaller scale, with food and shelter as well as the singing of hymns and spreading of a hopeful religious message.
We have also lost a local activist of many accomplishments who will be long remembered. Town &Village is sad to inform you of the death of Jeanne Tregre, 74, an early (1983) recipient of the Major Community Leader Award from CCS. She was a long-time President of the 13th Precinct Community Council, a director of the Stuyvesant Park Neighborhood Association (est. 1975) and a major leader in the effort to restore the West Park’s historic cast-iron fence, along with Rosalee Isaly and the late Rex Wassermann of the Parks Department (the restoration of the East Park fence, one of Ms. Tregre’s favorite concerns, still needs a sponsor). Ms Tregre was also active in the support of the Mary Manning Walsh Home on the Upper East Side. A memorial service was held at the Church of Immaculate Conception on July 8. More family and memorial details are to follow.
Wally Dobelis regrets the omission of the thank you note to Louise Dankberg of the Tilden Democratic Club in the last issue. For more fully annotated copies of these articles please enter www.dobelis.net and click through to the blog containing current material
In recent weeks I have been beset with global scale pessimistic thoughts about the future of the city, state, nation and beyond, nothing minor, you know. While in this depressed state, worthy of Dr Paranoia, I unearthed some overlooked mail, including an invitation to the 24th Annual Dinner of Concerned Citizens Speak, a/k/a CCS, a mysterious organization that surfaces once a year, to hold a dinner, recognize worthy community leaders for what they are doing, hold a raffle where every ticket-holder – well, nearly every – wins a dinner, free business cards and other worthwhile prizes donated by neighborhood merchants. The money raised goes into local charities, and holiday season gifts for children in hospitals and shelters.
Noting the event, the thought struck that in my description the words “community” and “local” keep recurring with some frequency. We are a really together neighborhood, despite our personal differences. A group like CCS proves it. Organized to give a forum to the opinions of a group of friends who felt that non-partisan views and recommendations deserved an outlet, it has done so for the past 25 years, by newsletter and honoring the worthy community leaders, writers and activists (I admit my bias, having been honored a decade ago, along with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver), no big deal, just telling people that their good deeds have been recognized. and letting the public know of their good deeds. Local merchants support CCS by donating good prizes, we the residents support it, and the recipients of awards are glad to be appreciated in a world that often recognizes activity by criticizing the leaders. And speaking of our community activists, my short list here barely makes a dent. More is to come in future months.
So, more power to John F. Bringamann, one of the founders and the long-time Chairman of CCS, whom many of us know as a print-shop manager, retired secretary and key-keeper of the Gramercy Park Trustees, and an all-around helping hand in community affairs. Other members of his Board include Richard Jordan, an NGO executive at the UN, Gerard Schriffen, former Assistant District Attorney, schoolteacher, voice of the Manhattan Neighborhood Council and current candidate for the City Council vacancy, Alvin Doyle the head of ST/PCV Tenants Association, attorney Thomas R. Stevens, and community activists Lillian Tompkins and Pearl Messlin, who keep the CCS affairs going.
To recognize the honorees, Sharon Ullman, president of the 23rd Street Association, has been a neighborhood mover and shaker for the past decade, moving the agenda of the chief business street on the northern edge of T&V Country. The membership of 400 includes some business giants such as Met Life, NY Life, Home Depot and major banks. The 12M renovation project of the neglected Madison Square Park through the efforts of a new park advisory was the Association’s initiative, resulting in a full rebirth, reminiscent of that of Union Square Park two decades ago Her current effort is to create a BID to cover 23rd to 28th Streets, river to river. The Association maintains relationships with four community boards, the 10th and 13th Precincts, Congresswoman Maloney, assemblymembers, City Councilpeople and other representatives, to make sure that the needs of our area are looked after.
Another honoree, the Grace and Hope Mission on Third Avenue at 14th Street, has been looking after the down-and-out members of our communities since 1914, first in Baltimore, then spreading in East Coast cities from Norfolk to Boston, arriving in New York’s Times Square in 1930. Relocated to Park Row (nearer the Skid Row), they finally came to the current location in 1964. A predecessor of the both privately and city-supported Partnership for the Homeless programs, this very privately funded organization looks after the spiritual and bodily needs of their guests on a smaller scale, with food and shelter as well as the singing of hymns and spreading of a hopeful religious message.
We have also lost a local activist of many accomplishments who will be long remembered. Town &Village is sad to inform you of the death of Jeanne Tregre, 74, an early (1983) recipient of the Major Community Leader Award from CCS. She was a long-time President of the 13th Precinct Community Council, a director of the Stuyvesant Park Neighborhood Association (est. 1975) and a major leader in the effort to restore the West Park’s historic cast-iron fence, along with Rosalee Isaly and the late Rex Wassermann of the Parks Department (the restoration of the East Park fence, one of Ms. Tregre’s favorite concerns, still needs a sponsor). Ms Tregre was also active in the support of the Mary Manning Walsh Home on the Upper East Side. A memorial service was held at the Church of Immaculate Conception on July 8. More family and memorial details are to follow.
Wally Dobelis regrets the omission of the thank you note to Louise Dankberg of the Tilden Democratic Club in the last issue. For more fully annotated copies of these articles please enter www.dobelis.net and click through to the blog containing current material
# posted by Wally Dobelis @ 9:37 AM 
