GROUNDWORK USA - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• MUG Program Director, Groundwork Milwaukee

Job Titles:

• Community Volunteer, Groundwork Denver

Like the neighborhood his family has lived in since the 19th century, Globeville resident Dave Oletski has experienced many things in his life. He's worked on the factory floor at Nabisco and used to run a fashion business. He served on the design committee to redevelop the now-defunct local smelter where his grandfather once worked. He's volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, which has a strong presence in Globeville, and been involved with their influential projects near his own home. Dave even had the opportunity to travel with Jimmy Carter to Haiti, where he helped build 100 houses in one week. Through it all, Dave Oletski has stayed close to his family's roots in Globeville - and it hasn't always been easy. "[For the longest time], there was nothing but bad things going on down here," says Oletski referring in part to the 1980's and 90's. "There was so much trash. When we finally got the City to clean it up, they were loading for two weeks - dump truck after dump truck. We got it clean, but I would go out there at midnight or at six o'clock in the morning and chase people off." There were times when Dave considered selling his place. "I got really irritated - there was nothing but drug dealing, people stripping cars - there was no law." It hadn't always been this way. "I saw Globeville in the ‘60s, it was the most beautiful neighborhood you've ever seen. It smelled horrible [because of the area's meatpacking industry] but everybody's houses were freshly painted all the time. You wouldn't believe the roses these ladies had… and we knew which gardens to raid for strawberries." Dave was active in his community at an early age. "I used to ring church bells - there were three 100-year old churches in a three-block radius." During those days, neighborhood residents "set their lives to the church bells… Man, if I missed them church bells or were five minutes late - not good! Church bells rang - and then whistles blew at the packing house." Despite all the changes over the past 40 years - the increase in crime, property deterioration, and overall lack of neighborly investment - Dave chose to stay and help bring the neighborhood back to a place where people want to be outside and be involved. "Lower downtown is starting to take off and I thought, wow, this is heading this way. If I leave now, I will start out ten years too early. I thought: Get involved." In 2006 Dave connected with Groundwork Denver through a City Council member specifically over the issue of a brownfield site adjacent to his property. Dave and his neighbors have paved the way to turn this brownfield into a community green space called Platte Farm Open Space. Over the years, Dave has worked with Groundwork on the Platte Farm Open Space project, which is ongoing, and has also helped coordinate neighborhood clean-ups. He said "Groundwork was phenomenal with organizing. We did a cleanup with Groundwork. It was huge, it was massive, it was so organized! Things were being sorted and separated. Well over 100 people were there with big, big roll offs, big trucks. I was so impressed." Dave has been influential in the success that Groundwork Denver has had with engaging the Globeville community in Groundwork Denver projects. He helps shape projects and initiatives and points Groundwork in the direction of who to talk to when it comes to certain issues. Nine years after first working with Groundwork, Dave continues to volunteer his time, helping organize everything from ice cream community planning socials to graffiti removal sweeps. Of great importance is the effort that Dave makes to keep the vision for Platte Farm Open Space alive. He is persistent when it comes to social equity issues in Globeville and has made sure, despite changes in city administration, that Platte Farm Open Space and Globeville as a whole have a spot among city priorities.

Job Titles:

• Executive Director, Groundwork Lawrence

Job Titles:

• Project Coordinator for Groundwork Richmond, California
• Richmond Project Coordinator, in Front of Richmond Greenway Mural. Photo Courtesy BAYCAT

Unity. Teamwork. Community. Talk with Javier Ochoa Reyes, project coordinator for Groundwork Richmond, California, for just a few minutes and you'll learn that this is what he truly values. One of Javier's jobs was as a math tutor for the City of Richmond's Straight Talk on Prison (S.T.O.P.) after school program. Students in the S.T.O.P. program receive academic support and participate in environmental education and service-learning projects organized by Groundwork Richmond and the National Park Service's Rosie the Riveter National Homefront Historical Park. It was in the course of bringing S.T.O.P. participants to work on the Richmond Greenway, a 3.5-mile bike and pedestrian trail through the city that Groundwork was helping to restore, that Javier met Groundwork Richmond's Executive Director Sarah Calderon. "Sarah saw how hard I was working," said Javier, "and how good I was at managing the kids. I wouldn't just be sitting down, not working. You know, I come from a hardworking family and I always like to work hard. And she saw that, and she told me ‘One day I'm going to get you a job, a good job.' And I was like ‘OK.' I thought she was joking." Sarah wasn't joking. For over two years, Javier has been in charge of Groundwork Richmond's Green Team, leading the youth and local volunteers in planting and caring for trees as part of a partnership between Groundwork and the City of Richmond to increase the city's urban tree canopy. He's also responsible for maintaining two of the three sites on the Richmond Greenway that Groundwork has adopted and transformed into parks. These sites offer local youth service-learning opportunities and a chance to gain hands-on job training skills in landscape architecture, horticulture, and mural and metal arts. "I love the environment and I love working with kids," says Javier, "they just have so much energy." Providing them opportunities to learn and grow through environmental and community stewardship is one of Javier's favorite aspects of working with Groundwork. "They learn so much from us and from each other. They get jobs, they get to network with other people - professionally, in the future, that can get them get much better jobs as well. They get internships. I love the fact that we're able to provide so many resources to kids."

Job Titles:

• Government
• Worker
• Hudson Valley Community Volunteer

Renee Milligan is no ordinary government worker-she brings her work to her community. "I am a determined person. I keep drilling and poking. Sometimes the Mayor sees me and he wants to run," she says with a laugh. In addition to her day job as an Accounts Clerk for the City of Yonkers, Renee is an ardent activist, passionate about improving quality of life in her neighborhood around Lawrence Street, where she has lived for 27 years. Through her work she "gives a voice to the voiceless" and has become known as a caretaker of the area, which has been contending with drugs, crime and violence over the years. Everyone, from the Police Commissioner to drug dealers, discusses safety issues with her, working to make the neighborhood more livable. "People knew me for doing stuff in the community," she said. "So when organizations had things to do, they would call me." Understanding city resources, including how to find owners through public records and appropriately report graffiti, allows Renee to be an effective advocate for fellow residents. "I work for the City of Yonkers and have become active in the community. There's a strip off of Saratoga that was abandoned, people throw garbage there." Renee's interest in the local environment began when she was walking along Yonkers' Saratoga Avenue, near a spot that overlooked a park. "Me and another lady were looking down-all we could see was green. That caught my attention." Inspired by how community members were using the space to play and barbecue, Renee approached a State Assemblyman, Mike Spano, who ultimately became Mayor, about the importance of the park. "He was interested in it. I suggested that we have a cleanup in that park. He agreed to it-and he had other commissioners there. He said, ‘I'll make a commitment to try to help'." It was through this kind of work that Renee connected with Groundwork Hudson Valley. "Groundwork's value is that they bring new vision and a light about the environment. They bring help, awareness and they bring new things. Sometimes people are not used to it-so much greenery, planting, or building." "I enjoy my experience with Groundwork because it makes me feel good that they value my work and what I'm doing. It makes me feel like I'm making a difference." Renee is a staunch supporter of neighborhood events like cleanups or block parties. "That's the main thing-when you are in a distressed area, you feel like there's no hope-but when good things happen, there's a little bit of hope." During the four years that Renee has been involved with Groundwork activities, she's also become active in collaborative planning.

Job Titles:

• Executive Director of Groundwork Denver

Wendy Hawthorne, executive director of Groundwork Denver, is grateful to Dave for his commitment to Globeville and its residents and has high praise for his work. "Dave has been a critical partner for Groundwork Denver for many years. He knows everything about the neighborhood and always guides us to the right solutions. Platte Farm Open Space is going to become a reality thanks to Dave's insights, persistence, and commitment to the neighborhood."