SPANO, FUJIFILM KICK-OFF WESTCHESTER’S “ADOPT-A-PARK” PROGRAM

                Kensico Dam Plaza was “adopted” today by the Elmsford-based Fujifilm, with County Executive Andy Spano joined by Yasuo “George” Tanaka, President and Stanley E. Freimuth, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. to sign the official “adoption papers.” The ceremony kicked off the county’s new Adopt-a-Park program.

                “Westchester County is blessed with one of the finest park systems in the country, and our Parks Department works hard to maintain its nearly 18,000 acres and more than 50 parks and recreational properties,” Spano said. “With a little help from Fujifilm and other organizations like them, we can do even more to beautify the parks for the three million people who enjoy them each year. I am grateful to them for leading this effort by ‘adopting’ Kensico Dam Plaza, and for their continued support of Westchester County.”

                According to Spano, Fujifilm donated all of the perennial plants for an entrance garden at the Plaza and recruited more than 50 of their employees who prepared and planted the beds today as part of the Adopt-a-Park effort.  He said that the Adopt-a-Park initiative was announced as part of his 2002 State of the County message.

                “For a company with such a longstanding commitment to the environment, it was natural for us to support this new county initiative,” Mr. Tanaka said. “As a corporate citizen of Westchester County, Fujifilm is especially pleased to help the County and the Parks Department make the Adopt-a-Park concept a reality.”

Westchester County’s Adopt-a-Park program promotes public involvement in the maintenance, improvement and support of the 16,000-acre county park system. The program is available to corporations, neighborhood and community groups, businesses or individuals interested in taking an active role in County Park stewardship.

                Organizations or individuals who adopt a county park commit to performing a variety of tasks to enhance or maintain the appearance of the park. Projects can range from litter removal to the addition of gardens, painting, staining or even erecting structures, removing graffiti, clearing trails, pruning, preparing and planting flower beds and more.

                For its part, the County Parks Department will erect a sign at the adopted park to acknowledge the group’s contribution and commitment to the program.         

For more information or to find out how to adopt a Westchester County Park, call the Adopt-a-Park coordinator at (914) 864-7054.