Bette does the Bronx and a garden grows
Bette Midler's New York Restoration Project is at it again. The non-profit, which works to revitalize parks and public spaces throughout New York City, built a community garden in one of New York's toughest neighborhoods, in the Bronx.
The garden, which looks like something out of Vanity Fair, opened October 6 and will also host cooking demonstrations, gardener workshops, summer concerts and community movie nights.
Designer and television host Sean Conway, author of the simply fabulous Cultivating Life: 125 Projects for Backyard Living, created the gardens by consulting locals on their needs and wishes. Most of the plots of land will go to school children at neighboring P.S. 73 to learn about gardening.
Barrett Robinson, NYRP's Vice President of Horticulture and Construction, helped lead the project and project manager Jared Vazales grew many of the plants on his roof before transporting them to their permanent home.
This is NYRP's third garden in the last three years. The Target Community Garden in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn opened in 2007 and the Target East Harlem Community Garden in October 2008, both designed by Conway. Target also established a fund to help maintain the gardens.
Midler is a famous eco-warrior who helped establish green jobs in New York with the help of $2 million in stimulus money. This funding provided 26 people with full-time jobs, according to NYRP executive director Drew Becher. The organization also celebrated the planting of the 250,000th tree in its quest to plant one million in New York in ten years. They are 50,000 trees ahead of schedule.
"I meant a million trees. It was just a pipe dream at first," says Midler. "Maybe I had too much to drink at one of those galas...We have ten years to plant a million and it looks like we're going to make it."
As for the Divine Miss M's advice to young eco-warriors on the frustration that we're not doing enough to combat global warming, she says, "You have to nuture yourself." And what better place to do that, she smiles, then in a garden.
The garden, which looks like something out of Vanity Fair, opened October 6 and will also host cooking demonstrations, gardener workshops, summer concerts and community movie nights.
Designer and television host Sean Conway, author of the simply fabulous Cultivating Life: 125 Projects for Backyard Living, created the gardens by consulting locals on their needs and wishes. Most of the plots of land will go to school children at neighboring P.S. 73 to learn about gardening.
Barrett Robinson, NYRP's Vice President of Horticulture and Construction, helped lead the project and project manager Jared Vazales grew many of the plants on his roof before transporting them to their permanent home.
This is NYRP's third garden in the last three years. The Target Community Garden in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn opened in 2007 and the Target East Harlem Community Garden in October 2008, both designed by Conway. Target also established a fund to help maintain the gardens.
Midler is a famous eco-warrior who helped establish green jobs in New York with the help of $2 million in stimulus money. This funding provided 26 people with full-time jobs, according to NYRP executive director Drew Becher. The organization also celebrated the planting of the 250,000th tree in its quest to plant one million in New York in ten years. They are 50,000 trees ahead of schedule.
"I meant a million trees. It was just a pipe dream at first," says Midler. "Maybe I had too much to drink at one of those galas...We have ten years to plant a million and it looks like we're going to make it."
As for the Divine Miss M's advice to young eco-warriors on the frustration that we're not doing enough to combat global warming, she says, "You have to nuture yourself." And what better place to do that, she smiles, then in a garden.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
10-14-2009 @ 11:16AM
luckysunday22 said...
This is sad. I'm glad that Ms. Midler was able to help a Bronx community with their "garden." However, I, as a tax payer, am outraged that I have to pay for her organization. She makes millions of dollars and has freinds who make millions of dollars. Let her fund her non-profit organization with private funds instead of using her private funds to support the democrat party which in turn reimburses her for her donations. If she was Italian, this would be considered organized crime. If we respected laws in this country any more, she would be under investigation for fraud and the politicians would be under investigation for ethics charges.
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10-14-2009 @ 12:14PM
michem55 said...
I agree completely!
Great job, Bette Midler for founding your charity and doing what you do!!
Shame on you politicians for stealing our tax money to give out how you see fit!! This countries budget is in the toilet, and you are handing out money to build a garden in New York?!?!
I think this charity is a GREAT idea -- but it should be done through volunteer work and private donations.
It is okay for some of our tax money to help the poor, but the real poor -- NOT people who need new cars (cash for clunkers) or new houses (8K tax credit) -- if I rent and drive an old car, why should I have to pay taxes for someone else who now ones a new house?!?
Why are my taxes paying for a garden in NYC?!?!
... if I CHOOSE to donate, after my bills were paid, that would be one thing.
But this makes me mad.
10-14-2009 @ 12:35PM
Hugh said...
AMEN Just another Obama project which of course he has no knowledge of.
10-14-2009 @ 6:12PM
joe said...
luckysunday22,
Did you listen to the broadcast? Target is the sponsor. Not the taxpayers. Not you. What's sad, is the general public getting online and posting comments that don't make sense.
10-15-2009 @ 9:14AM
luckysudnay22 said...
Hey Joe,
Did you READ the article. Bette Midler's group was given $2 mil in STIMULUS money. If I am not mistaken, that is money coming from the GOVERNMENT. And again, if I am not mistaken, the government gets money from TAXES. So, Joe, while I did not listen to the streaming broadcast, I did READ the article which INFORMED me that she was recieving government funds for her "green jobs."
Furthermore, I live in QUEENS, NY, part of the five boroughs, that on top of paying state and federal tax, I also pay CITY tax, of which, I have no doubt, MORE of my tax dollars have gone if not the the MTA.
So please, when you get tired of reading peoples posts at the bottom of the story, take a time out and read the actual article before you look to attack conservatives at the bottom. THANKS
10-15-2009 @ 12:27PM
Paul said...
Don't worry about what Bette Midler trying to improve the parks and giving the community a garden, she does some great things for her community, what have you done to help those people in need?, we need more people like Bette in this world, most people get returns on their taxes unless your in the high tax bracket, those are the people who pay most of the taxes, enjoy the garden and parks and think about what your saying
10-16-2009 @ 3:24AM
Joanne said...
Wow! You really have it out for Italians, don't you? You think that is all Italians do, organized crime? You think that is how an Italian Justice got on the Supreme Court, through organized crime?
This is a program of renewing the neighborhoods through local programs. Ms. Midler is giving her time and energy to direct the program for the good of the neighborhood. She doesn't have to do that. What have you done to help people better themselves? When have you given someone else a helping hand?
10-16-2009 @ 9:09AM
Peter said...
Get over it, dear.
I have to pay for your trillion-dollar bailouts of AIG, CapitalOne, and Merril-Lynch.
10-14-2009 @ 11:52AM
Patsy said...
Stimulus money to plant trees??? Come on!!! It is great that she is doing this organization. However, let her and her friends donate the $2,000,000 and write it off on their taxes. Why doesn't the gov't put that $2,000,000 towards our kids education? Makes no sense.
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10-15-2009 @ 4:30PM
Paul said...
It is a very worthy project, they should do a lot more projects like this one, it gives people hope they never had in government, most movie stars etc. donate a lot of money for worthy causes, I would bet that many of you writing comments have never given a dime to these causes, lot of people are living in the street, so if you have a roof over your head, stop complaining, help these people, some day you may be living in the streets, count your blessing
10-14-2009 @ 1:27PM
James said...
Well now, that was money well spent, wasn't it? Meanwhile, congress has launched a project aimed at stealing military retiree's healthcare from them. Yeah, you heard me right, they are going to steal TRICARE from retirees. More change we can believe in.
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10-14-2009 @ 1:53PM
gary said...
trees ma-- pot plants.
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10-14-2009 @ 2:14PM
Mike said...
Let's not forget that Bronx county is one of the poorest counties in the nation, and is severely underserved by green spaces.... and that the people who received training can continue onto careers which normally would not have been available to them otherwise.
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10-14-2009 @ 2:26PM
Olivia said...
I don't understand these claims about stealing tax dollars. NYRP fundraises their money. It says so on their website. www.nyrp.org
If you read the article, it says that Target paid for the garden, not federal money:
"She convinced Target to put up a "nice chunk of change" to combine two public gardens..."
AND
"Target also established a fund to help maintain the gardens."
Perhaps this is a mis-communication of the writer -- she doesn't mention MillionTreesNYC, which is a CITY program that is part of Bloomberg's PlaNYC 2030. That is the program that is planting trees -- NYRP is just a partner. The tax dollars or stimulus money was put to creating jobs through an adult education program call MillionTreesNYC Training Program.
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10-14-2009 @ 3:00PM
SMC said...
I cannot belive that $2M is being used for such a $#@%&*).... I have numerous friends and my son who has a family; who neither can find jobs. My friends and son all had jobs that they could support their families and at this time THEY are all jobless. WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THIS COUNTY? Has no one any kind of human feeling for all of our fellow citizens who are suffering from POLITIANS who only thing of themselves!!!
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10-15-2009 @ 10:20AM
Sue said...
This is Freaking SCARY!!!!! Obama's stimulus in action????
Freakin Disgraceful!!!!
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10-14-2009 @ 4:47PM
butchbuss00 said...
when you kiss the right ases anything can happen she should pay for this i used to love her singing till she got into politics
now shes no body
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10-15-2009 @ 12:52AM
Sue said...
You NEVER update my 'Up'comments to my faves!!!!!!!
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10-14-2009 @ 7:07PM
geomcd said...
It thrills me to death to work hard for money for my family and have it given to these projects. I am sick of the liberals being able to spend my money. At the same time, we've seen how they fail to pay their taxes and get by with it. VOTE THEM OUT!
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10-14-2009 @ 7:11PM
geomcd said...
Olivia said...
I don't understand these claims about stealing tax dollars. NYRP fundraises their money. It says so on their website. www.nyrp.org
..................Can you read or are you illiterate??? Here's what the article says:
Midler is a famous eco-warrior who helped establish green jobs in New York with the help of $2 million in stimulus money.
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