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Don Remiszewski: Community activist in College Point, Queens

As a longtime member of the College Point Knights of Columbus, Don Remiszewski knows a thing or two about chivalrous behavior.

The 68-year-old has been a resident of the area for 40 years and has made it his mission to help the community. He’s done everything from organizing the town’s annual Memorial Day parade to fighting to save local historical buildings from being destroyed. College Point is where he raised his family, which is why he said he’s gone to battle to preserve it.
 


What inspired you to get involved?

I love community. I moved here, I bought my house here, my kids grew up here. I was very active in St. Fidelis parish [on 14th Avenue], and we had various programs there to help the people. I was involved in the food pantry there. Then I became involved in the Knights of Columbus and that was a whole new world.


 
What are you most proud of from your activism?

One of my proudest moments was saving the Poppenhusen Institute [IN THE 1980S]. I was on the committee, because they wanted to sell it. We worked hard, we saved that building and today it’s going on pretty nice. We fought City Hall to keep it, and we won.


 
What are some improvements you’d like for the nabe?

Better roads — we have a million potholes — and better services from the city. We should have our own police department. We’re connected to the 109th Precinct in Flushing, but it’s not close. We should have our own, because we’re isolated. We’re surrounded by water and there’s only one main road, College Point Boulevard.