Norman Chan
Southeast Queens outreach coordinator
for the Partnership for Parks Foundation
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Norman Chan has a “very strong background with community involvement.” He is an outreach coordinator for the Partnership for Parks Foundation, a joint program between the City Parks Foundation and the New York City Parks and Recreation Department. Chan works on organizing such activities as seed planting, shoreline cleanups, and other special events like gospel singing at Baisley Pond Park. Currently, he is working on a team to coordinate this year’s “It’s My Park! Day.” This is a day when over 200 groups with thousands of volunteers will clean and restore New York City’s parks. This year, “It’s My Park! Day,” is on Saturday, May 17.
PERSONAL: Chan, a lifelong Queens resident, also enjoys a sport called Dragon Boat racing. The competition is held at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
JOB: Other than being an outreach coordinator, Chan has been a volunteer at the American Red Cross since high school. He is one of the founders of the Red Cross Youth Program of Queens, and has done a wide range of work, including CPR training and becoming a member of the disaster response team.
PROUDEST MOMENT: This past summer Chan created a new Dragon Boat team called the Azumi Dragons. Getting the team together and completing the race was a big accomplishment.
BIGGEST CHALLENGE: “Understanding the different needs of different cultures,” is the hardest part of being an outreach coordinator, according to Chan. He explained that there are cultural differences between the many different types of people who live in New York and he wants to be able to reach out and serve them all.
INSPIRATION: “Making a difference in a community and affecting the lives of people I encounter,” he said.
BY J. ALAN HAMILL
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