THE BAB (BIG APPLE BEAUTIFIERS) presents:

Polish the Big Apple!
Create A Happy Heart!!
Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Cleaning Project
Volunteers & Sponsors Needed!
Making A Prototype of Collaboration and Love in Your Neighborhood!!
Date & time: Sunday, April 16th, 9:50 am - noon (Earth Day Special in Brooklyn)
Meet At: Thomas VanDyke Gallery, (near Sunset Park, Japan Village) 434 39th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11232
Subway: D, N, R train, Get off at 36th Street, Walk 7 min.
Japan Times & Kyodo covered our activiteis!!
Purpose:
--STREET CLEANUP
can create a totally new, safe environment in your neighborhood.
It makes you feel emotionally uplifted and happy.
All of this is done in the spirit of
collaboration and community building. Simply,
IT IS FUN!!
--Create a possibility of building a prototype of zero-garbage-emission society by practicing 4Rs (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)
How:
Pick up and sweep the litter on the streets
Remove sticky gum sometimes.
Wash the tools after cleaning. Potluck Lunch will be provided for volunteers thereafter.
Why?:
(1) WE CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT
The litter on the streets can cause sanitary problems, ocean pollution, and global warming.
The BAB is committed to the beautification of neighborhoods and protection of the environment through this cleaning activity,
in the attitude of asking what you can do for the society, not asking what the society can do for you.
(2) WE CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY
There have been studies about the correlation between cleanliness and reducing crime rates.
There is also a connection with community cleanliness and serenity of mind of its inhabitants.
The BAB is committed to creating a friendly atmosphere with a smile, restoring clean images of the city, and building a prototype of a peaceful community here to be spread worldwide.
(3) WE CARE ABOUT WHO WE ARECleaning is a great opportunity of rejuvenating your soul and mind, transforming your life for better to live a significant life according to Japanese traditional beliefs. The BAB believes that it is a remarkable chance to seek self-improvement and personal growth, and to powerfully learn and nurture yourself for achieving the highest levels of awareness through this opportunity.
Our Story:
PERSISTANCE PAYS OFF
Big Apple Beautifiers founded in 2006 with friends of Terry Sato, the founder of this volunteering street cleanup, and originally started in West Village, Manhattan.
They have been consecutively holding the activity up until now, and over 3600 volunteers in total have participated by 2020, collecting more than 3600 gallons of litter on the streets.
The most typical reactions from people when Terry started this street cleanup 15 years ago were:
"Who the heck are you?"
"You are insane!"
“You are sick!”
But they never gave up, and continued their volunteer activity with a smile for more than a decade.
After their long years of practice, people's reception has been so different and changed to:
"Thank You"
And,
"Finally I found you, guys! I was looking for you because I heard a lot about you!"
Terry heard similar feedback not from just one, but from many people.
Celebrating the
14th anniversary of BAB's foundation in September, 2020, was
a real turnout for them.
Coincidentally, the neighbors in West Village, 7th Avenue South Alliance, did the Cleanup on the same day as the BAB did. Not just one, other twelve block associations around the area including West Midtown, Chelsea, held the same street cleaning day around the weekend. This movement seemed to steadily spread around in NY. That's awesome!!,
Supposedly, BAB's continuous effort was contagiously imprinted in people's minds, and,
then, it created the feeling of gratitude, and motivated them to plan the projects, and began cleaning their own areas.
After October, 2022, they moved the base to Brooklyn, and now work with Thomas Vandyke Gallery.
Contact: Please email us to soujiny@gmail.com
Sponsors & Donaors:
We acknowledge the monetary, material contributions from companies and individuals below:
Capital One BANK, Nishimoto Trading Co. LT Wasan, Brooklyn Thomas Vandyke Gallery
One if by Land, Two if by Sea
NY Mutual Trading Inc., Daiei Trading Co., Inc, Maruto Noriten
Fan Restaurant Supply, AKI on West 4 Hakata Tonton
Varsano’s Chocolates Bajwa Gift Shop Wasan
Jack Ancona, Birthday Suit,
Founded by Terry Sato