{"id":208,"date":"2016-09-26T19:24:49","date_gmt":"2016-09-26T19:24:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/manresafriends.org\/?p=208"},"modified":"2016-09-26T19:33:23","modified_gmt":"2016-09-26T19:33:23","slug":"friends-of-mount-manresa-park-fundraiser-sept-25-labetti-post","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/manresafriends.org\/index.php\/2016\/09\/26\/friends-of-mount-manresa-park-fundraiser-sept-25-labetti-post\/","title":{"rendered":"Friends of Mount Manresa Park Fundraiser – Sept 25- Labetti Post"},"content":{"rendered":"
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FIGHTING \u2018OVER-DEVELOPMENT\u2019 ON STATEN ISLAND:
\nCommittee to Save Mount Manresa a leading grass-roots voice<\/p>\n

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Friends of Mount Manresa hosted a community celebration \u2013 a barbecue fundraiser \u2013 on Sunday afternoon at Labetti Post in Rosebank.<\/p>\n

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The spirited crowd included some attired in new, bright lime-green T-shirts bearing the latest anti-over-development messages from the nonprofit Committee to Save Mount Manresa.<\/p>\n

Beginning in 2013, this grass-roots group led a persistent but ultimately unsuccessful battle to preserve the historic buildings and old-growth forest on the 15-acre hilltop site in Staten Island\u2019s Fort Wadsworth neighborhood.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe community recognized immediately the urgent need to protect the historical site, 20,000-year-old glacial hillside, beautiful valley, and hundreds of extremely rare old-growth trees dating back to before the Revolutionary War, and one Black Tupelo that was slightly over 400 years old, one of the oldest living trees in New York City,\u201d noted Jack Bolembach, president of the Committee.<\/p>\n

The Committee to Save Mount Manresa now focuses on overdevelopment issues Island-wide, examining in particular how proposed zoning changes can dramatically affect the quality of life for local residents, homeowners and renters alike.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about having a say about the future of Staten Island,\u201d said State Senator Diane Savino, a keynote speaker at the Sunday event.<\/p>\n

The celebration honored four community leaders who helped in the struggle to preserve the site\u2019s built and natural environment from demolition after the Savo Brothers purchased the property from the Jesuit order, the previous long-time owners, with plans for a massive townhouse development.<\/p>\n

The honorees were:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Rosebank-born Joseph Bilotti, who conducted the Tuesday rosary in the Sacred Heart Chapel on the Mount Manresa site for over 17 years.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Retired NYPD officer John Guzzo, Rosebank resident for over 35 years, member of Community Board 1 and chair of its Rosebank Area Committee.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Native Islander Mike DeCataldo, a Vietnam vet, active member of Labetti Post, and caretaker for historic Mount Carmel Shrine in Rosebank.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Larry Liedy, owner of Liedy\u2019s Shore Inn on Richmond Terrace in New Brighton, who extended wholehearted support to the Committee to Save Mount Manresa, hosting fundraising events at his family\u2019s historic tavern.<\/p>\n

Join the\u00a0Friends of\u00a0Mount Manresa with an annual membership of $25.<\/p>\n

Website: SaveManresa.org<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Written by Virginia Sherry \/ Photos by Virginia Sherry<\/p>\n

VIDEO OF DIANE SAVINO SPEECH:\u00a0 https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/virginia.n.sherry\/videos\/10209564388240166\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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