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‘Play ball!’ Workers revitalizing East Field GLENS FALLS — Glens Falls Department of Public Works employees are helping to breathe new life into a beloved city landmark. East Field, located in a residential neighborhood on the city’s east side, opened in 1980. The stadium, which has hosted several baseball and football teams, has seen several teams come and go over the years. But the owner of Glens Falls Dragons minor-league baseball team wants to change that. The Dragons are part of the regional Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League. He reached out to CSEA Warren County Local President John Barrett, who is employed by the city’s Department of Public Works, to help revive the field. Barrett embraced the plan for a revitalized ball field to be supported through multiple avenues, both public and private. Unit members help maintain the stadium, as well as help with extra touches like painting the signs and planting flowers. Barrett had the CSEA logo added to the team uniforms to further solidify the relationship. “That’s the kind of buy-in we need to keep this a place that families can come to for generations,” said Barrett. CSEA Warren County Local President John Barrett, who is employed at the Glens Falls Department of Public Works, grooms East Field in preparation for a Glens Falls Dragons game. The local is sponsoring a CSEA night at the Dragons’ July 1 game vs. the Adirondack Trail Blazers. The local is giving out game tickets and will distribute T-shirts at the game. — Therese Assalian Capital Region members getting involved in their communities TROY — Capital Region residents are benefiting from two events organized in concert with the CSEA’s Strong Communities Work initiative. In late May, Troy area residents attended a two-hour disaster preparedness training coordinated by the CSEA Capital Region Strong Communities Work Committee. The New York State Citizen Preparedness Corp. conducted the session that provided attendees with the tools to prepare, respond and recover from any disaster. Participants received a free Citizen Preparedness Corp. response starter kit and were encouraged to stay informed and be aware of potential dangers in their neighborhoods. For more information or to schedule a workshop in your area, visit http://prepare.ny.gov. The Schenectady County Employees Local also recently got involved in the Strong Communities Work initiative through organizing a blood drive. Local activists reached out to the county manager for support. Then, the local partnered with the American Red Cross for the community-wide blood drive scheduled for late June. Not only did donation appointments fill up, but shuttles were available the day of the drive to transport county employees to and from the blood drive location at the Schenectady Public Library’s main library in downtown Schenectady. “This is our first community event tied to the Strong Communities Work initiative,” said Schenectady County Building Unit President Ileen Varno, who helped plan the blood drive. “We are finding that beyond the obvious benefit to the community, it’s already having a positive impact on our membership to be doing something together.” — Therese Assalian July-August 2015 The Work Force 9


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