Story of the Month
Room Refurbishment Project: 2009 Edition!
February 2009
The finished product was unveiled February 19, but the project began three months earlier when Harlem Dowling-West Side Center for Children and Family Services was selected as the 2009 recipient of the Garden of Dreams Foundation, Rangers, Knicks, and Liberty's annual room refurbishment project.
As part of the program, Harlem Dowling, a non-profit child welfare agency and Garden of Dreams partner organization, received brand new furniture, electronics, photos, toys, and games to go along with their freshly painted walls, newly installed floors, and brand new ceilings.
Three visiting rooms and the site's teen "Vision Center" underwent dramatic cosmetic transformations, however, the transformations were more than solely cosmetic. The renovations helped to create an environment that encourages family interaction, reflection, and growth.
Adam Graves, Brandon Dubinsky, and Aaron Voros of the New York Rangers joined John Starks, Cal Ramsey, Wilson Chandler, and Al Harrington of the Knicks along with Tiffany Jackson of the New York Liberty, and children from Harlem Dowling for an afternoon ribbon cutting and room dedication in honor of the newly renovated space.
Children were overjoyed at the site of new books, toys, and games that filled the rooms, while teens couldn't help but battle a few MSG celebrities in a game of Wii bowling on the Vision Center's new flat screen plasma television! Parents tested the comfort of new couches and chairs, while case workers and Harlem Dowling employees looked on; smiles not leaving their faces.
"It's a great day for Harlem Dowling, the Garden of Dreams Foundation and all areas of Madison Square Garden," said former Knicks star, John Starks. "We are honored to be here, and happy to have made a positive difference in your community and in the lives all the children who come here on a daily basis."
