The Juniper Park Civic Association is proud to announce that Congressman Joseph Crowley has been selected as the 2002 Man of the Year, an honor that historically, is awarded to the most outstanding leaders in the City of New York.

Joseph Crowley was elected to the United States House of Representatives in November of 1998 to represent the Bronx and Queens based Seventh Congressional District. A native of Woodside, Queens and standing at 6’4”, Congressman Joseph Crowley has dedicated his life to serving the people of Queens and the Bronx. His father was a New York City Police Officer and a neighborhood lawyer, whose firm was on Grand Avenue in Elmhurst. His uncle, New York City Councilman Walter Crowley, paved the way for Crowley to get involved in politics.

Crowley was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1986. In Albany, Assemblyman Crowley made his mark as an effective legislator dedicated to improving local education in Queens, passing laws to protect New York’s children, improving wages and working conditions and economic development issues.

In November of 1998, Crowley was elected to the 106th Congress to represent the Seventh Congressional District of New York. The Seventh Congressional District includes parts of Queens including the communities of Middle Village (parts), Sunnyside, Woodside, Jackson Heights, Maspeth, Elmhurst, and College Point. As a member of Congress, Crowley has continuously sought to improve education, healthcare, security, and lower crime and domestic and sexual violence for all New Yorkers.

For the neighborhood of Middle Village, Crowley’s biggest accomplishment was announcing on January 22, 2003 that the “lost” neighborhood known as Elmhurst south of the LIE to Eliot Avenue from 74th Street to 86th Street would now be part of the Middle Village ZIPCODE 11379. Since 2000, Crowley has worked with the Juniper Park Civic Association and its President Robert Holden, along with the Queens Postmaster William Rogers to achieve this change. Crowley’s attention to solving constituent problems, such as the south Elmhurst case, has kept him popular in his district.

During his four years in the United States Congress, Crowley has fought for the people of Queens and the Bronx on issues ranging from healthcare to immigration to education.

Since September 11, security has become an important issue for New York. In May of 2002, Crowley submitted a report to the White House on New York City’s Homeland Security requirements. He recommended a wide range of initiatives and funding for the City, which he comprehensively outlined in the report.

In his first four years in Congress, Crowley has earned a reputation as a fighter for working families in the Bronx and Queens. He has passed the most pieces of legislation of any second-term Democrat and hopes to surpass that during the 108th Congress.

The Juniper Park Civic Association is proud to name Congressman Joe Crowley our 2002 Man of the Year. Previous awardees have included Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Governor George Pataki, Community Board 5 Chairman, Frank Principe and State Senator Serf Maltese.

Congressman Crowley will receive the Man of the Year award at the Juniper Park Civic Association meeting on Thursday, March 6th, 7:45pm at Our Lady of Hope School Auditorium, Eliot Avenue and 71st Street in Middle Village.