STAR OF BROOKLYN: Eileen Potter

Eileen Potter – Bay Ridge Community Council Historian

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: As the historian for the Bay RidgeCommunity Council (BRCC), Potter collects press clips about theorganization and compiles them in the two books produced annually -one for the organization’s president and one for the archives.Currently, those archives span 60 years. It’s a shame we don’thave a place in the library where someone could see them, becausethere’s a lot of history in those books, she said. It’s prettyamazing what you’d see. Potter has been involved with the BRCC formore than 30 years. In 1996, she started the 7000 Colonial RoadBlock Association, which she proudly reports being quite effectivein resolving neighborhood issues. Block associations, people don’trealize, are really powerful, she said. We’d go to precinctmeetings and raise our hands and the police were wonderful inresolving our issues – very cooperative.

PERSONAL: A lifelong Bay Ridge resident, Potter enjoys beingable to walk to local restaurants and businesses. I’m Bay Ridgeborn and raised, she said. And I’m staying too – there’s noretirement village for me. I love it. Married to her husbandPhillip for 47 years, the couple has two children – a 40-year-oldson who is a firefighter with the 102 Ladder in Bedford Stuyvesantand a 46-year-old daughter who is a nanny. Both reside in BayRidge. Potter and her husband also have three grandchildren – twoboys, ages seven and 20, and a 16-year-old granddaughter.

DEFINING TRAIT: Potter says that her accepting nature is oneaspect of her personality that others seem to notice. She says itcomes from her core belief in rolling with life’s punches.Whatever happens, you have to pick it up and go with the flow,she said. And always, always do the right thing.

INSPIRATION: A major inspiration for the BRCC historian has beenthe other members of the organization. She says it is an honor towork alongside a group of such deeply committed individuals. I sawa lot of role models within the council, Potter recalled. I thinkI got inspired by people like them to work within the community.She says it was often as simple as seeing someone else engaged incivic activism to realize her calling. People inspired me inlife, Potter said. I would look and say: ‘That’s the right thingto do. That’s what I want to do.’