New York City Recognizes Efforts of EE Fans
NEW YORK-On March 6 about 50 EastEnders fans congregated for a victory Sunday brunch at Fiddlesticks, a pub in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, to pat themselves on the back for saving EastEnders on WLIW in January.
The brunch was also held to celebrate a new holiday, "EastEnders Day" in New York City. For that one day, Greenwich Village's Union Square was renamed Albert Square!
This day had been declared by the City Council, with the help of council members Margarita Lopez and Andrew Lanza, in recognition of the grass-roots efforts of fans to save EastEnders on WLIW, and also in recognition of the programme's 20th anniversary on the 19th of February.
The citations were arranged by EastEnders fan Loretta Quinn, who works for Councilman Lanza.
City Council citations were drawn for EastEnders' creative team, Michelle Collins (Cindy Beale), who helped jump-start the campaign with a "meet and greet" on Jan. 9, and the campaign's organisers, Larry Jaffee, Debbie Gilbert and Dana Gordon.
The citations stated, "Whereas, a great city is only as great as those persons who give exemplary service to their communities, whether through participation in voluntary programs, through a personal achievement in their professional or other endeavors or simply through a lifetime of good citizenry. Whereas, such service, which is truly the lifeblood of the community and the city, so often goes unrecognized and unrewarded. Resolved, that as a duly elected member of The Council of the City of New York... We have outstanding citizens who are worthy of the esteem of both the community and the great City of New York."
In its proclamations, the City also recognised WLIW for broadcasting EastEnders locally and us fans who banded together to keep the show on the air for another year.
A City Council citation was also presented to Nathaniel Brown, proprietor of Fiddlesticks, the Greenwich Village pub which hosted two fundraising events.
The brunch attendees all had at least two things in common: they are diehard EastEnders fans and they contributed financially to the campaign, which ended up totalling nearly $35,000. The proceeds covered WLIW's licence fee to the BBC to pay for another year of the series.
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