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Albany Communities Make a Clean Sweep
UAlbany Campus Clean-Up Day Focuses on Downtown for 10th Anniversary

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Contact: Catherine Herman (518) 437-4980

ALBANY, N.Y. (May 2, 2006) -- Albany Mayor Gerald D. Jennings, College of Saint Rose President R. Mark Sullivan and a host of volunteers joined University at Albany President Kermit L. Hall today to help with UAlbany's 10th Annual Clean-up Day.

On this 10th anniversary, the focus shifted to the midtown section of the city, where the presidents and mayor were joined by volunteers from the colleges' faculties, staff and student bodies, as well as the UAlbany Men's Soccer Team, Albany Police Department, the Pine Hills Neighborhood Association, the Washington Park Neighborhood Association, the Midtown Corridor Neighborhood Merchants, the Midtown Neighborhood Churches, and the Midtown Neighborhood Watch.

"The university is committed to the midtown communities and the city of Albany," said UAlbany President Kermit L. Hall. "This clean-up is about improving our environment, and about strengthening and broadening our connection to the neighborhoods in which we live and work."

"Forging partnerships between the City and our institutions reaps great benefits for our communities," said Albany Mayor Gerald D. Jennings "This partnership between UAlbany and Saint Rose brings together faculty, students, and community members who work together to improve the quality of life for all our residents. I am grateful to President Hall and President Sullivan for their continued commitment to New York's Capital City."

"We are pleased to be partnering with the UAlbany community and affirming our collective commitment to the midtown neighborhood," said Saint Rose President Dr. R. Mark Sullivan.  "This clean-up day is yet another example of our mission as an engaged urban campus interwoven with the life of this city."

UAlbany's annual spring Campus Clean Up began with 100 volunteers in 1997 and has grown to more than 500 volunteers pitching in time and energy to beautify the campus and enjoy camaraderie and morale building in the fresh air.

This year's clean-up in the downtown and midtown campus areas  included policing the area for garbage.  Saint Rose volunteers targeted the area along O'Leary Boulevard and Partridge Street to Yates Street and up Western Avenue to North Main. Tools were provided by the participants, including the City of Albany's Department of General Services.

Across UAlbany's campuses, volunteers spread 180 yards of mulch, and collected 180 yards of leaves and debris. They planted 100 flats of pansies, three lilac tress, 15 burning bush and forsythia bushes, and some 60 trees, including honey locust, sargent cherry, and larch.