Council Member Joseph C. Borelli (R-South Shore) and students from four Staten Island schools, P.S. 36, P.S. 1, P.S. 6, and I.S. 7, armed with shovels and daffodil bulbs, planted about 1,000 of the yellow flowers today at their school campuses on the south shore. The daffodils were distributed through a partnership between Council Member Joe Borelli and New Yorkers for Parks, which runs the Daffodil Project, an initiative which was created in the aftermath of September 11th, 2001 as a way of remembering those lost.
“It’s mornings like these when I feel proudest to be a New Yorker,” said Council Member Joe Borelli. “Yellow is the color of remembrance, and each year New Yorkers from Tottenville to Throggs Neck are treated to the sight of millions of yellow daffodils thanks to the efforts of the New Yorkers for Parks, which has planted and distributed many millions of bulbs since they started this initiative in 2002. It is truly an honor to be a part of this and a privilege to share it with local students here on Staten Island. I’d like to thank Gabriella Cappo of New Yorkers for Parks, and Principals Silber, Bellafatto, Fisher, and De Rosa for making this possible.”
“We are so grateful to Council Member Borelli for this opportunity to further enhance the beauty of our building and create a welcoming environment for our students as they arrive each day,” said Dr. Nora de Rosa, Principal of I.S. 7.
“In a city as dense as New York, many children don’t have the opportunity to get their hands dirty and learn about the natural world firsthand. Which is why we’re so proud to work with Councilmember Borelli to bring our Daffodil Project to Staten Island schools,” said Lynn Kelly, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Parks. “These children represent the next generation of open space stewards, and by working with their fellow students and city leaders they’ll learn that simple projects can improve their community in a big way.”