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Alicia Pierro (L), Executive
Director, and Tom Lewis, Board Chair (R). Photo credit: Jerry Ruotolo for Big Apple Greeter.
Greetings!
As the weather turns cooler and the leaves turn bright colors, Big Apple Greeter welcomes visitors from all over the world. Greeters love being outdoors in the beautiful autumn weather, sharing New York City's neighborhoods and diverse residents with visitors who are thrilled to be in the Big Apple.
We
are delighted to announce that our honorees for Celebrate New York
2009, Big Apple Greeter's annual fall cocktail
reception and fundraiser, are Christine
Quinn, Speaker of the New York City Council, Daniel A.
Biederman, President of the 34th Street Partnership
and Bryant Park Corporation, and Dominic
Chianese, Actor & Singer.
Please join us at Celebrate New York 2009 on Thursday, December 3. Benefit Chair, Peter Meyer, President, NYC Market, TD Bank, and our Honorary Benefit Chair, Hon. Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn Borough President, celebrate the on-going contributions that our honorees have made to the well-being of New York City. Big Apple Greeter is so proud to be able to highlight the achievements of these three remarkable New Yorkers.
For ticket and sponsorship information please contact Special Events Coordinator Alison Brooks at 212-669-8281. Or you can buy a ticket or
sponsorship online.
On behalf of the Benefit Chairs,
Benefit Committee, and our Board of Directors, we hope
to see you at the event! Finally, we hope you enjoy reading this newsletter. Please send us your feedback; we would like to hear your
comments.
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Big Apple Greeter
One
Centre Street
New York, NY
10007
Office 212-669-2896 Fax 212-669-3685 TTY 212-669-8273
pr@bigapplegreeter.org
Website:
www.bigapplegreeter.org
Founder:
Lynn Brooks Executive Director:
Alicia Pierro
Director of Programs & Volunteers:
Gail Morse
Director of Development:
Elizabeth Holmes
Special Events Coordinator/Database Administrator:
Alison Brooks
Office Manager and IT Administrator:
Jennifer Smith
Editor:
Lisa Schultze
Writers & Contributors:
Karen Brueckner
Don Eugene
Elizabeth Holmes
Bill Niles
Kate Sheahan
Photographers:
Irene Grossman
Elizabeth
Holmes
George Ongkiehong
Jerry
Ruotolo
Lisa Schultze
Support provided by: The Rudin Foundation, Inc.
BIG APPLE GREETER BOARD OF DIRECTORS
As of 9/11/2009
Chair* - Thomas G. Lewis, President, Gray Line New York Sightseeing
Vice Chair* - Louise Morman, Executive Coach, Management Consultants, Eldercare Advocate
Treasurer* - Kenneth Smith, CPA, Partner, Eisner LLP Accountants and Advisors
Founder* - Lynn Brooks, Big Apple Greeter
Executive Director* - Alicia Pierro, Big Apple Greeter
Barbara Bailey - Assistant Director of Communications, Workers of America Local 1180's Retiree Division (Retired)
Kamal Bhatia, CFA - Managing Director & Head of Asset Management Products, TIAA-CREFF Asset Management
Garrett R. Bowden
Christopher P. Boylan* - Deputy Executive Director, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Chairman Emeritus)
Patty Clark - Sr. Advisor to the Aviation Director for External Affairs, The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
Patrick W. Condren - President, Patcon Associates, Ltd.
Kelly Ann Curtin - Senior Vice President, Membership, NYC & Company
Matthew Daus - Commissioner, New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission
Merrie L. Davis - President & Publisher, MVP|NY
Douglas Durst - President, The Durst Organization
Don Eugene* - Senior Officer, R.H. Macy & Co., Inc. (Retired); Callydus Group LLC
Peter Kohlmann - Founder, PeKo Creative
Jeffrey Lam - Managing Member, Lam Generation, LLC
Diane McNulty - Director of Community
Affairs, The New York Times
Cristyne L. Nicholas* - Partner, Nicholas & Lence Communications
Laurie Norris - Intercultural Communications & Editorial Services Consultant; Greeter Representative
Laura Osman - Senior Managing Director, Concord International Investments
David Rothfeld, Esq.* - Partner, Kane Kessler, P.C.
John J. Ruzich, OBE* - President & CEO, The TIMM Group, LLC
Stephen Schnall*- Regional Sales Manager, Opatros
Joseph E. Spinnato - President, Hotel Association of New York City, Inc.
Vincent J. Tabone - Attorney at Law, Law Office of Vincent J. Tabone
Diana L. Taylor - Managing Director, Wolfensohn & Company, L.L.C.
Barbara M. Tomanelli - Executive Assistant to Vice President, MetLife
(Retired); Greeter Representative
Markly Wilson - Director, International Marketing, Empire State Development Division of Tourism
James H. Yates
Chairman Emeritus - Joel L. Epstein, Chairman & CEO, AIG Consumer Finance (Retired)
Honorary Lifetime Member - Elizabeth A. Baltz, Global Business Development & Management International
Honorary Lifetime Member - Horace Webb, Senior Vice President Public Affairs, Con Edison (Retired)
Honorary Lifetime Member - Paul Insalaco* - President, BF9 Media (Immediate Past Chair)
Ex-Officio Members
Hon. Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor of the City of New York
Hon. Ruben Diaz, Jr., Bronx Borough President
Hon. Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn Borough President
Hon. Helen M. Marshall, Queens Borough President
Hon. James P. Molinaro, Staten Island Borough President
Hon. Scott Stringer, Manhattan Borough President
*Executive Committee
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Fall
Update
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Vote For Big Apple Greeter & Help Us Win Up to $35,000
Big Apple Greeter could win a grant up to $35,000, but we need your help! Here is what you can do! [Read
more] |
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March Across The Brooklyn Bridge
Big Apple Greeter took local Ft. Hamilton soldiers on a walk across the famous bridge and through lower Manhattan. [Read
more] |
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Where Do Greeters Go?
Since our founding in 1992, greeters and visitors have gone to over 110,000 locations throughout New York City. [Read
more]
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Historic New York City: Museum Of Chinese In America Thirty volunteer Greeters visited the Museum of Chinese in America, a non-profit institution located in Chinatown. [Read More]
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 "Fan" Mail: Greeters & Visitors Share Their Thoughts
Great notes we've received from our Greeters and our "fans," also known as visitors, who felt it was important to recognize the talents of their Greeter. [Read more] |
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Global Greeter Network Annual Meeting
It might have begun in the Big Apple, but the Global Greeter Network is growing globally. Fifteen worldwide programs recently met in the Netherlands to talk shop! [Read more]
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Help Big Apple Greeter win a grant!
The $150,000 Local Impact Challenge!
Big Apple Greeter has been nominated to receive a grant through Liquidnet's $150,000 Local Impact Challenge. Greeter Todd Cherches, who works for Liquidnet, nominated us. The 10 organizations with the most votes will receive grants ranging from $10,000 to $35,000.
Help us continue to provide our free-of-charge Greeter Program by going to the Justmeans social network site and voting for Big Apple Greeter! Click on this link http://www.justmeans.com/contestidea?ideaid=MTM5. It will bring you to Big Apple Greeter's page. When you click on the red "vote" button located on the right side of the page, you will be asked to register. Once you have registered, click on the "vote" button again to have your vote counted.
Please consider forwarding this newsletter to everyone in your distribution list of colleagues, friends, and family, and posting it to any network media pages you have like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. We need as many votes as possible to win this grant!
Many thanks for your support. Your vote can help us become a top ten finalist!
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Marching across the Brooklyn Bridge. Greeter Andrea Coyle tells the history of the Brooklyn Bridge to Ft. Hamilton soldiers. Photo: Lisa Schultze for Big Apple Greeter.
March Across The Brooklyn Bridge
The "mission" was to introduce soldiers newly posted to the 152nd Military Police Platoon at historic Ft. Hamilton, Brooklyn, to the streets and sights of lower Manhattan - and the greeters only had two hours to do it.
The "objective" was to help soldiers from all over the United States feel welcome and comfortable in the fast pace of New York City.
Greeters Karen Brueckner, Deborah Freeman and Andrea Coyle accepted this daunting assignment. Office volunteer Lisa Schultze also tagged along for the journey from Brooklyn to lower Manhattan.
Assembling at Fulton Ferry Landing in Brooklyn, the greeters and soldiers set out to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan's Financial District. Leaving the lovely communities of the Brooklyn waterfront behind, the soldiers learned about the New York City skyline and the history of the Brooklyn Bridge. Half-way over the Bridge, the Staff Sergeant in charge held a ceremony and read a citation recognizing the accomplishments of his troops.
Following the event, the squad "double timed" to the next stop. At City Hall Park they took time for a photo, walked along Broadway's Canyon of Heroes, entered St. Paul's Chapel and Trinity Church. On Wall Street, they saw the New York Stock Exchange and visited Federal Hall. Some of the soldiers visited Ground Zero, while others headed down New York's Stone Street and across Pearl Street toward the Viet Nam Memorial.
Overlooking the East River, the troops enjoyed the wonderful view of the Brooklyn Bridge, Governor's Island, busy New York Harbor and noisy helicopter operations of the Wall Street Heliport. Next was a surprise visit to the Police Museum. Since most of the soldiers were from the Military Police, their enthusiasm was apparent as they bounded up the museum steps to the exhibits, with special interest in the firearms and ammo displays.
Big Apple Greeter was honored to share New York City with some of the men and women in the United States Military. We were happy to be given the opportunity to meet these soldiers and show them how much we appreciate their service.
-- written by Karen Brueckner
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A classic and favorite spot for Greeters, visitors and New Yorkers to stroll - Central Park in all its fall glory. Photo: Lisa Schultze for Big Apple Greeter.
Where Do Greeters Go?
Since our founding in 1992, greeters and their visitors have filled out and returned questionnaires providing details on more than 35,000 visits conducted throughout the City.
Beginning in 1998, information from 41,000 questionnaires based on more than 25,000 visits has been entered into a database. This database provides valuable and interesting information on key aspects of visits, as well as the impressions and experiences of greeters and their visitors.
Among the most interesting information we have obtained includes the locations that greeters and their visitors have visited.
More than three-fourths of visits (77%) are conducted in Manhattan. Twenty-three percent take place in the other boroughs, with the majority of these in Brooklyn. Visits to Brooklyn now exceed 700 per year.
There are 114 Big Apple Greeter-defined neighborhoods in the City-14 in Manhattan and 73 in the other boroughs. Not surprisingly, nine of the ten most visited neighborhoods are in Manhattan. On average, each visit covers four neighborhoods.
Most Visited Neighborhoods: Greenwich Village, Chinatown, Soho, Midtown, Little Italy, World Trade Center site, Fifth Avenue, Financial District, Brooklyn Heights, Civic Center.
In the past ten years, greeters have taken their visitors to 1,535 locations throughout the City. This accounts for more than 111,000 locations visits.
These locations have been classified by type. Following are the ten most visited locations within the categories of sightseeing, museums and galleries, shopping and eating and drinking:
Most Visited Sightseeing Locations: Grand Central Terminal, Ground Zero, Wall Street, Rockefeller Center, Battery Park, City Hall, Times Square, St Paul's Chapel, Lincoln Center, St Patrick's Cathedral
Most Visited Museums and Galleries: Metropolitan Museum, Forbes Gallery, Museum of Natural History, Museum of the American Indian, Cloisters, Schomburg Center, Tenement Museum, Morris-Jumel Museum, Museum of Modern Art, Brooklyn Museum
Most Visited Shopping Locations: Tiffany, FAO Schwarz, Chelsea Market, Century 21, Macy's, Toys R Us Times Square, Apple Store Fifth Avenue, Diamond District, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's
Most Visited Eating & Drinking Locations: Zabars, Katz's Deli, Union Square Farmer's Market, Tavern on the Green, Connecticut Muffin, Whole Foods at Time Warner Center, Sylvia's, Dean & DeLuca Soho, Chumley's, Fraunces Tavern
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Big Apple Greeters listen to a lecture about the history of Chinese in America in New York City's Chinatown. Photo: Elizabeth Holmes for Big Apple Greeter.
Historic New York City: The Museum Of Chinese In America
On October 21, 2009, thirty volunteer greeters visited the Museum of Chinese in America, a non-profit institution that preserves and presents the history, heritage, culture, and diverse experiences of people of Chinese descent in the United States. The museum recently moved to a new location at 211-215 Centre Street.
Founded in 1980 as the NY Chinatown History Project, by historian John Kuo Wei Tchen and community resident/activist Charles Lai, it was created to develop a better understanding of Chinese American history and community.
After a tour of the museum's broad array of exhibits, lead by Assistant Curator of Education Daria Ng, docent Alice Fung gave the volunteer greeters a guided walking tour through Chinatown, tracing the evolution of Chinese American eateries, food ways and local history.
"A jewel of a museum with a rich collection," said Big Apple Greeter volunteer Marianne Gennarie.
Big Apple Greeter takes pride in its ability to provide New Yorkers with opportunities to enhance their leadership skills. Greeter Outings expand a Greeter's knowledge base by introducing neighborhoods and cultural sites in all five boroughs with which the greeter may be unfamiliar. Afterwards, many Greeters do additional research, bring visitors and recommend the sites to friends, family, and neighbors.
-- written by Elizabeth Holmes
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Greeter Deb Freeman pictured with
visitors at the famous Wall Street bull statue. Photo: Irene Grossman for Big Apple Greeter.
"Fan" Mail: Greeters & Visitors Share Their Experiences and Thoughts
As a Greeter, I generally walk up to people in the street who look lost, befuddled or who are twisting and turning maps trying to locate a place. This usually happens four or five times a week, especially in the East 50s where a few hotels are located.
One day a couple from Missouri stopped me. They had a map and were trying to locate a site. They asked, "Can you point us to the block on which Marilyn Monroe's skirt was blown upward as she stood on a subway grate during the making of a movie?"
I remembered the iconic image from the "Seven Year Itch," but had no idea that the photo was actually taken in New York. I was stumped. The couple pointed to the map on which the location was printed. After a few minutes we figured out that the shoot took place at Lexington and 51st Street - a few steps from where we were standing.
The couple went off happy and, as a lifelong New Yorker, I learned another piece of arcane information about New York City. -- submitted by Don Eugene
"We were very impressed with David's knowledge of his city and his pride in being a New Yorker. He added greatly to our visit with his warmth and humour."
-- Visitor from Liverpool, Great Britain
"Joel is a very nice man who explained a lot about NY. The people, the transportation, etc...It's a great way to start a week in NY."
-- Visitor from Kronenberg, The Netherlands
"It was great to explore part of NYC with a local -- to experience and hear the stories and history of the area from someone who lives there. David was very friendly and great company -- making me feel very welcome in NYC."
-- Visitor from Sydney, Australia
"This was my third time with the Big Apple Greeter. It is a really wonderful organization overall and I am always impressed with how much time the greeters spend with me, and how open friendly and full of information they are."
-- Visitor from Graz, Austria
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Global Greeter Network representatives photographed in the Hague, at the annual meeting. Photo: George Ongkiehong for Global Greeter Network.
Global Greeter Network Annual Meeting
Over the years, Big Apple Greeter has inspired many other cities/regions around the world to start Greeter programs of their own, all based on the Big Apple Greeter model. These locations all adhere to the core values of Big Apple Greeter: the program must be free, open to all visitors, the greeters must be volunteers, visitor groups are no more than 6 people, and the program must have an active website.
As the number of Greeter programs grew, the Global Greeter Network (GNN) was formed as an informal association so that programs can support each other and share best practices. Today, there are 15 programs in the Network: New York City, Chicago, and Houston in the US; Toronto in Canada; Buenos Aires in Argentina; Melbourne and Adelaide in Australia; Paris, Lyons, Nantes, Pas-de-Calais, and Marseille-Provence in France; Kent and Brighton in the UK; and The Hague (Den Haag) in The Netherlands. In addition, over the years we have had inquiries from many other locations about starting Greeter programs, most recently from London and Belgrade.
In September 2009, the Fifth Annual Global Greeter Network meeting was held in The Hague and attended by all fifteen member - quite a turnout! There were two days of organized meetings, with many informal discussions taking place at lunches, dinners and other activities that were enjoyed by the 30 attendees. Den Haag Greeters was a most gracious and generous host. A special treat for all was VIP seats to watch the parade escorting Queen Beatrix to the opening of the Dutch Parliament!
As the original greeter program and a
founding member of the Global Greeter Network, Big Apple
Greeter is proud to have inspired other cities to establish
greeter programs. In turn, the success of each member of the
Global Greeter Network strengthens us all.
-- written by Kate Sheahan
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About Big Apple Greeter:
Founded in 1992, Big Apple Greeter's mission is to enhance New York City's worldwide image while enriching the City experience for its visitors. Connecting with business and leisure visitors from all over the US and the world, Greeters take visitors on informal, unscripted walks through one or more neighborhoods in any of the five boroughs, promote tourism throughout the City, and help visitors discover the ease of using public transportation. Over 300 volunteer Greeters collectively speak almost 25 languages and enjoy giving their time and energy back to their hometown. Since its founding, Big Apple Greeter - a free public service- has welcomed over 90,000 visitors and been featured in thousand of newspapers, magazines, and television and radio programs all over the world, reaching an audience of over two billion potential visitors to New York City. Big Apple Greeter is proud to partner with NYC & Company, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Make-A-Wish Foundation(R) of Metro New York.
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