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Contact Valarie Lima, Public Relations Director, at (617) 782-0940 or email. Friends of Ringer Park Poison Ivy Eradication in the News Allston, MA, July 13, 2008–The most recent efforts by Friends of Ringer Park (FORP), led by Stewardship Committee Chair and Treasurer Don Lubin, have resulted in welcome attention by the West End House (Boys & Girls Club) to their poison ivy in the southern corner of Ringer Park. The work of FORP and Don Lubin was recently featured in The Boston Globe article, available here. Please visit www.ringerpark.org or contact Don Lubin (don.lubin@ringerpark.org) to volunteer or for more information on poison ivy eradication. ### Friends of Ringer Park Endorses Environmental Bond Bill Allston, MA, November 30, 2007–Along with many other Massachusetts land trusts, hunters and anglers, water quality advocates, farmers, foresters, gardeners, friends of parks groups, municipal leaders, and business people, Friends of Ringer Park (FORP) has endorsed the efforts of the Coalition for the Environmental Bond. "In 2002, we passed a major Environmental Bond Bill in large part because such a broad and diverse partnership stood together. More than 100 organizations presented a unified voice that the Governor and Legislature heard." says Jeremy Marin, Campaign Manger of the Coalition for the Environmental Bond. This year, together with almost double the number of supporting organizations, FORP hopes to pass another Environmental Bond Bill that incorporates a significant infusion of money for land protection and management, water quality, geographic information systems data, agriculture, and more. We Support an Environmental Bond Bill for Massachusetts
Visit www.envirobond.org for more information about the Environmental Bond Bill and the Coalition for the Environmental Bond. ### Friends of Ringer Park Supports 'Grow Boston Greener' Allston, MA, November 27, 2007–Along with City of Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, Friends of Ringer Park (FORP) officially supports the Boston Urban Forest Coalition's 'Grow Boston Greener' initiative. The mission of the Boston Urban Forest Coalition is to transform Boston's urban forest in order to improve the urban ecosystem, public health, and the quality of life of the city's residents. In order to increase Boston's tree canopy above the current 29%, the initiative hopes to achieve the planting of 100,000 trees in Boston by 2020. Visit www.bostonforest.org for more information about the Grow Boston Greener initiative. ### Friends of Ringer Park Continues Poison Ivy Eradication Allston, MA, October 12, 2007–After the inevitable reemergence of some smaller patches of poison ivy in Ringer Park this spring, Friends of Ringer Park (FORP) continued to honor its commitment to keeping this invasive species at bay. Led by Stewardship Committee Chair and Treasurer Don Lubin, five more sessions of eradication were conducted this year involving spraying, cutting, and pulling. A number of the previous patches had some remaining life and those were dealt with. A few spots that had been missed in previous years' efforts were also treated, and some plants that had sprung up in new areas were also killed, most likely seeded by the one remaining larger patch located near the West End House (Boys & Girls Club). Despite urging from FORP, neither the West End House nor Boston Parks & Recreation indicated that they would make any effort to control the problem this year. FORP will work on trying to engage both parties in a partnership to completely eliminate poison ivy from Ringer Park in the coming year. Please visit www.ringerpark.org or contact Don Lubin (don.lubin@ringerpark.org) to volunteer or for more information on poison ivy eradication. ### Friends of Ringer Park Obtains Public Charity Status Allston, MA, September 7, 2007–Friends of Ringer Park (FORP) is recently approved for tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. FORP filed its application with the Internal Revenue Service using the expertise of board members and donations toward the filing fee from its membership. FORP is already a not-for-profit corporation registered with the Secretary of the Commonwealth in the State of Massachusetts under the provisions of General Laws, Chapter 180. Now with the additional certification of public charity status from the Federal government, FORP can avoid paying taxes on monies raised. Contributions to FORP retroactive to April 5, 2006 are tax deducible, and FORP is now further qualified to receive certain tax-deductible bequests, transfers, and gifts. ### Friends of Ringer Park Hosts Annual Community Meeting Allston, MA, March 12, 2007–Please join your neighbors at Friends of Ringer Park’s (FORP) annual community meeting on Wednesday, April 4th from 7:00 – 8:30 pm at the Jackson Mann Community Center, 500 Cambridge Street in Allston. FORP is proud to celebrate many achievements in the past year including park clean-up, bulb planting, and participation in the master planning process. We are excited about upcoming plans in support of our mission:
Stop by. Find out what’s happening in our neighborhood. Share your opinions. This is an excellent way to be part of park and neighborhood improvement. Please visit www.ringerpark.org or email info@ringerpark.org for more information.Allston, MA, March 12, 2007–Friends of Ringer Park (FORP), led by Don Lubin, Chair of Stewardship Committee and Treasurer, reports clearing poison ivy from Ringer Playground thereby providing more usable park space for the neighborhood. The infestation covered almost half the wooded area at the south end of the park and scattered other locations. It was escaping the park boundaries, endangering people walking along Allston Street or in the parking lot south of the park. Residents stepped in it, and dogs ran through it, getting the allergenic oil on their fur before running home to play with owners and children. The attached illustrations illustrate the dramatic improvement achieved. In the summer of 2004, FORP volunteers pulled much of the poison ivy out by the roots, and cut many of the vines climbing rock surfaces and trees. Some vines ran 40 feet high and could be cut only with a saw. At the end of the summer, about 60% of the park was free of any visible sign of the plant. After it leafed out again in May 2005, Don patrolled the northern areas for residual growth from roots and underground runners we had missed, eradicated a few other confined colonies, and helped to make a serious dent in the areas of profuse growth. The Boston Parks Department did a significant spraying along the wide southern path in July. In 2006 Don finally eradicated nearly every patch, and Boston Parks sprayed again mostly along the main southern path, killing the adjoining areas that had been missed the previous year. In the spring of 2007 there will be some re-emergence from the patches that we have mostly killed, but the final extermination will be relatively easy. FORP hopes to work with the West End House Boys and Girls Club to eliminate the only remaining patch of poison ivy in the area, which is now climbing their south wall. Like all invasive plants, poison ivy will continue to be re-introduced to our park, mostly via birds that eat the berries here or elsewhere, and we will need to remain vigilant. Don and four others have spent over 120 hours on this project to date. Please visit www.ringerpark.org or contact Don Lubin (don.lubin@ringerpark.org) to volunteer or for more information on poison ivy eradication. ### Friends of Ringer Park Organizes Cleanup with Boston Shines Allston, MA, April 14, 2006–The Friends of Ringer Park group invites you to the 3rd Annual Ringer Playground Spring Cleanup on Saturday, April 29, 2006, from 9:00 am – 12:00 noon. Join your friends and neighbors in support of Boston Shines, the City of Boston’s annual neighborhood cleanup, as we work together on some spring cleaning in Ringer Park, Allston’s largest public greenspace. Supplies and refreshments, including coffee and lunch, will be provided. Volunteers should meet at the park’s Webley Street entrance (near the softball field and next to the Jackson Mann Elementary School). Local groups volunteering for the cleanup include Allston Brighton Greenspace Advocates, Boston Parks and Recreation Department, City of Boston Municipal Police, Ringer Park Parents Community Build Group, and Ringer Playground Crime Watch. Please visit www.ringerpark.org for more information on the Friends of Ringer Park. ### Friends of Ringer Park Reorganizes and Elects Board of Directors Re-Envision, Improve, Maintain Allston, MA, February 13, 2006–Friends of Ringer Park (FORP) proudly announces its reformation, approving by-laws, creating a mission statement and electing a board of directors last week. FORP endeavors to improve and maintain Ringer Park with the following goals:
Speaking as the newly elected president of the Friends of Ringer Park group, Ann Frenning Kossuth said, "FORP is open to everyone in the community who has an interest in the park. We would like to come together as a neighborhood behind this park we all know and love so well. All are welcome to the next Friends of Ringer Park meeting at the Jackson Mann Community Center on Thursday, March 9th at 7 pm." FORP will participate in upcoming events including the Second Annual Green Gathering sponsored by the Allston-Brighton Community Development Corporation (ABCDC) on Thursday, February 23, 2006 from 6:30 to 9:00 pm at the EF International Language School in Brighton, and the April 29th Ringer Park Cleanup, scheduled in conjunction with Boston Shines, as suggested by Joan Pasquale, a park advocate. FORP will collaborate with local groups including Boston Parks and Recreation Department, ABCDC and Ringer Park Crime Watch. Please visit www.ringerpark.org for more information. ### |