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Long before joining Passyunk Square Civic Association, Andrew Emma was transforming and greening streets and vacant lots in his neighborhood.
Six years ago the Broomall native moved to Passyunk Square — the same neighborhood he visited as a boy when his father, Philip, a Bella Vista native, resided there. During the inaugural Philly Spring Cleanup, Emma, then of 13th and Ellsworth streets, helped to clean up debris in a filthy alley between Ellsworth and Peter streets.
“This is just myself and a friend of mine decided to clean it up,” Emma, who now resides on the 1300 block of South Ninth Street, said. “We were sick of looking at it.”
Since becoming his civic’s beautification chair, Emma has made a quite a few sights in the neighborhood more appealing with the latest being the Rachel Ray Garden, East Passyunk Avenue and Wharton Street. Since the talk show turned the space over to Camden Children’s Gardens, the civic asked the Jersey-based organization if it too could give a hand. While he hopes the garden can host cooking demonstrations and provide food to the volunteers, as well as schools, churches and seniors in the future, thus far the space has hosted open houses that welcomed locals to the new asset.
“I just wanted to get as many people out and aware of what’s going on and that’s been working well so far,” the 31-year-old said noting the compilation of an 100-person e-mail list.
The Temple University alum, who works in the Philadelphia Horticultural Society’s tree maintenance program, pitches in at Capitolo Playground’s community garden, 900 Federal St., coordinates cleanings with Passyunk Avenue Revitalization Corp., 1137 Wharton St., and has organized the area’s spring and fall tree plantings for the past three years.
“It’s just touching and makes you want to work that much harder in the future,” Emma said of his selection.
While he commits about 10 to 15 hours a week to his community, he insists if everyone chipped in even an hour each week, more could be accomplished.
“Just to show people that your community can be whatever you want it to be if you just ask questions and try to help people,” he said. “I think everyone should be able to live a happy life and have their community be something they’re proud of.”
Contact Managing Editor Amanda L. Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.
More 2011 Difference Makers:
Madeline Brinkman Louis DiRenzo Bonney DosSantos Darren Fava Sara Feinstein
Greg Frangipani Gary Harkins Kelly Hile Mitch Little Robert Malara
Jessica Mammarella Chris Menna Anton Moore John Murawski Cassie Plummer
Sue Posternock Michelle Rumbaugh Letty Santarelli Christy Santoro
Marianne Squillaciotti Walter Stewart Jennifer Swain Angelica-Victoriano Joe Whelan
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