On August 13, 2026, AYLUS Oakland Gardens held its 245th event from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM, partnering with Green Earth Urban Gardens to clean and beautify The Olde Towne Flushing Burial Ground. We began the event with a morning jog to wake up our bodies and prepare for the cleanup. Volunteers jogged around the center of the memorial wall, taking in the peaceful surroundings and natural scenery before beginning our service work.
The Olde Towne of Flushing Burial Ground was originally called the Public Burial Ground and is the final resting place of approximately one thousand Native American and African American descendants. A reflective memorial area honors the site’s history with a commemorative wall engraved with the names of 320 identified individuals, with room for additional names that may be discovered. The area was surrounded by nature with seating and even butterflies that were flying around the area.
During the event, we worked alongside Maureen Regan and the volunteers to help clean and restore the burial ground. Maureen taught us how to properly remove the invasive species called bineweeds that were growing along the fence. She showed us how to carefully cut and pull the vines without damaging the fence or nearby plants. Following her instructions, we worked together to remove the overgrown vines, which helped make the fence look cleaner and more well-maintained. We used a variety of gardening tools, including mini shovels, rakes, clippers, and traditional straw sweeps to clear the area. Maureen Regan then instructed us to remove the weeds and tall grass near the memorial wall. She told us to stop pulling once we reached the drainage area so that NYC Parks could later come and mow the remaining grass. By removing the overgrowth, we were able to uncover the plants and flowers and make the area look much cleaner and more beautiful.
After working for a while, we took a break and enjoyed refreshments provided for the volunteers. We received water, chips, fruits, and juice. The volunteers were able to sit at the benches surrounding the memorial wall and enjoy the refreshments. We would like to thank NewYork Presbyterian for supplying the refreshments. We would also like to thank Minnie and Gabriela for funding these projects and helping create opportunities for volunteers to give back to the community. Their support allowed us to spend the day volunteering and helping restore an important historical space in Flushing.
We would like to thank Green Earth Urban Gardens, Maureen Regan, NewYork Presbyterian, and all of the volunteers who contributed their time and effort to this meaningful clean up. Through our work, we were able to restore and beautify The Olde Towne Flushing Burial Ground and make the historic site more welcoming for the community.
Our Volunteers:
1. Selena You: 3.5 hours
2. Sophia You: 3.5 hours
3. Alfred Liu: 3.5 hours
4. Alexander Lu: 3.5 hours
5. Ricky Song: 3.5 hours
6. Sophia Xu: 3.5 hours
7. Sophia Lu: 3.5 hours
8. Ioknor Lin: 3.5 hours
9. Angela Liu: 3.5 hours
10. Stephanie You: 3.5 hours
11. Selena Zheng: 3.5 hours
12. Kaden He: 3.5 hours
13. Nuoyan Chen: 3.5 hours
14. Kenny Ou: 3.5 hours
15. Ella Lin: 3.5 hours
16. Enda Zheng: 3.5 hours
17. Vincent He: 3.5 hours
18. Sophia Gao: 3.5 hours
19. Derrick Gao: 3.5 hours
20. Eric Chen: 3.5 hours
21. Janice Ma: 3.5 hours
22. Haoze Gao: 3.5 hours
23. Osborn Zhang: 3.5 hours
24. Roy Zheng: 3.5 hours
25. Cindy Siegel: 3.5 hours
26. Austin Li: 3.5 hours
27. Vicki Lin: 3.5 hours
Parent Adviser Team:
Fannie Li: 6 hours
Karen Liao: 6 hours
Faye Liu: 6 hours
Reporter: Sophia Gao
