Melvin “Mel” Doby Memorial Way (Queens)
Present name:None
Location:At the northeast corner of Foothill Avenue and 204th Street
Honoree: Melvin Doby (d. 2020) was a 28-year veteran of the NYPD, where he served in the elite Highway/Motorcycle Unit and had been a first responder during the 9/11 attacks. In 1995, Mel had moved into Hilltop Village Co-operative #1 in Hollis. In 2010, he was elected to the Co-op's Board of Directors and the board subsequently elected him president. His leadership transformed his community. He created Friday Night Movie Night and showed movies and provided popcorn from his personal funds; he created a potluck lunch at the end of May every year so that shareholders could get to know one another better; and he was the initiator of the Hilltop Village Family Fun Day every summer where Foothill Avenue was closed off and the community enjoyed rides, food and games for all the residents of all the four Hilltops. In addition, he was an officer of the Presidents Co-op Council (QPCC), a think tank of Board presidents seeking to improve co-op governance and quality of life for those living in co-ops. He died in 2020 from COVID-19. He was 68 years old. (Grodenchik)
LL:2022/54