- The document is the first issue of a newsletter from Graffiti Fighters, a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating graffiti. - It welcomes readers to the organization and provides an update on their successful "Graffiti Masters" fundraising event in June. - The newsletter provides information on upcoming volunteer events to remove graffiti, current graffiti trends, and spotlights on vendors that provide graffiti removal services.

1. Graffiti FightersGraffiti01SUMMER2011ISSUEthis issueWelcome Graffiti Fighters P.1Success! The “Graffiti Masters” P.2Graffiti in the News P.3Upcoming Events P.4OUR MISSIONStop Urban Blight dba Graffiti Fighters is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the elimination of graffiti vandalism and the money cities, businesses and citizens are forced to spend dealing with this problem. Our mission is to provide education in the field of graffiti prevention, abatement, and removal. Graffiti Fighters help drastically reduce graffiti in our communities. www.StopUB.orgYou’re Helping Stop Urban Blight! Fighters<br />Become a Community VolunteerLooking for a way to get involved in your city’s volunteer events? Contact Stop Urban Blight (925) 443-5208 and we can connect you with a local coordinator.Welcome Graffiti FightersHowever, because we are new, we need your help. In order to get you the kind of information that will help you most, we need to know what kind of information you are seeking and how you would like it delivered.We have developed a short survey for you to fill out on our website. www.StopUB.org It will only take you five minutes to complete it but it will give us tons of valuable information so that we can develop our web site and activities to better serve your needs. All you need to do is visit our homepage, complete the survey and press quot;
Sendquot;
. This will help us design the organization around you. Thank you for taking the time to read this first newsletter and we look forward to working closely with you for years to come. We are confident that Graffiti Fighters will help you dramatically reduce graffiti in your city. Good luck to you!FightersGraffitiPO Box 2510Livermore, CA 94551925.443.5208 ph 925.443.5209 faxwww.StopUB.orgGraffiti Fighters Issue 01 Summer 2011Upcoming Events• National Night OutAugust 2nd, 2011All over the United StatesMore Information: www.nationalnightout.org• Fresno, CA Go Green & Clean – Volunteer Park BeautificationAugust 20th, 2011Fresno, CA: Victoria West ParkContact: (559) 237-3101• Hayward, CA Community Clean Up EventAugust 27nd, 2011Hayward, CA: Eden Gardens AreaMeet at Rancho Arroyo Park: 2121 Depot RoadContact Doug Grandt: (510) 432-1452• Hayward, CA Community Clean Up EventSeptember 24th, 2011Hayward, CA: Tyrrell Ave AreMeet at Tyrrell Ave. & Shepherd Ave.Contact Laura Oliva: (510) 908-3654Stop Urban Blight would like to welcome you to Graffiti Fighters! Graffiti Fighters is a new international non-profit organization dedicated to the elimination of graffiti. This new organization was established to help you - the hard working individuals who are on the front lines in the fight against graffiti. We know that you are working hard in the trenches every day doing your part to clean up your city. We also know that there is a lot of information out there that might be able to help you do your job better, faster or easier. It is not always easy to find that information however. With Graffiti Fighters, you now have a place to turn to get any and all graffiti related information to help you do your job better. Ultimately, we will be a one-stop shop for all your graffiti needs. You can turn to us to find out what is working in other cities, new laws that might help your efforts and even what activities to avoid because they will only waste your money and time and not really help you get rid of graffiti. Mark your calendars: 9/21/12 – The “Graffiti Masters” 10/18/12 – Annual Conferencedesigned kits, 150 Graffiti Removal Kits will be donated to graffiti abatement programs acrossthe nation. The Country, Poppy Ridge Golf Course, Strizzi’s, Wente, Edge Technologies, Advanced Health Chiropractic, Titan/SprayTech, THE Fields Company, SXE Apparel, Golfsmith, It’s A Keeper.) The day wrapped up with a Four Person Scramble and 19th Hole festivities! Courtesy of Kelly-Moore Paints with the help of This Stuff Works, Inc. and their specificallyCommerce joined the event by hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony introducing Stop Urban Blight as a new chamber member.During lunch, raffle winners were announced. Thank you to our generous donators for their fantastic raffle prizes!(Las Positas Golf Course, Oakland A’s, Livermore Valley Wine On June 17th, 2011 the “Graffiti Masters” fundraiser and Annual Conference was held at the Las Positas Golf Course in beautiful Livermore, CA. With the help of the City of Livermore along with Beeb’s Sports Bar and Grill, and DeBenedetti’s Golf Shop this all day event was a great success! The “Graffiti Masters” was a full day of events that included a vendor show, hands on & classroom training, an open forum networking seminar and golf. All money raised benefited Stop Urban Blights efforts in working with and education community graffiti abatement programs. As the guests arrived they were handed amazing giveaway bags supplied by our various supporters and displaying vendors. Everyone had a chance to participate in a putting contest where they were entered to win a 42” Sony TV donated by Retek Direct. Lucky winner was Mr. Steve Wolfe from Fremont, CA!City of Livermore was the first to receive their donation.Many thanks to our displaying vendors: Advanced Health Chiropractic, Edge Technologies, THE Fields Company, Graco, Kelly-Moore Paints, Titan/Spray-Tech, This Stuff Works, City of Livermore: Urban Arts Mural Program, and 3M.questions and answers from city employees, volunteers and concerned citizens.The Livermore Chamber of Guests were invited to attend one of two Safety & Maintenance or Airless Sprayer and Pressure Washing equipment. Instructor Mark Brown with GRACO raffled off a Hand Held Paint Sprayer!The cities of Hayward and San Jose abatement program leaders shared what is working in their communities to reduce the blight of graffiti. There was opportunity forgraffiti and strip off the coating using a hot pressure washer which in turn removes the graffiti. Reapply the coating to maintain protection. Non-sacrificial coatings provide semi-permanent or permanent protection depending on the product. These allow multiple to infinite cleanings to take place using designated cleaners. Semi- permanent coatings require coating reapplication after multiple cleanings occur. Permanent coatings bond with the surface becoming part of the surface itself. Reapplication may not be necessary.For more information visit www.TSWwarehouse.comQ: What is the difference between sacrificial and non-sacrificial anti-graffiti coatings?A: Graffiti resistant coatings (or anti-graffiti coatings, as they are commonly known) are a fantastic way to protect a surface from the staining or shadowing that is the typical result of graffiti damage. Coatings form a barrier between the graffiti and the surface making clean up easier.Sacrificial coatings are typically wax based. After applied, wait until there is a substantial amount of “can’t keep up with the demand,” Dobrovolny said.In reconstituting its anti-graffiti program, the city will hire at least five people. The police department is also refilling two vacant positions with constables who will identify taggers and work with communities and the court system, Dobrovolny said.The additional cost this year will be about $150,000, which will come from existing department budgets.Whole Story http://bit.ly/nsOEmCIn a report to council, city staff said that cutback was ill-advised because they’re now seeing a resurgence of defacing on both public and private property.While in the past, word got around in other ways, taggers are now being drawn by invitations on Facebook and emails saying the city is ripe for spray paint.Even murals — long considered immune to tagging out of respect for the artists — are being hit.The amount of graffiti has so much that Bye Bye Graffiti, a company retained to paint over defaced city engineeringSUCCESS! The 2011 “Graffiti Masters” and Annual ConferenceMany thanks to the City of Livermore for their support! This Month’s Q&A Abatement Tips“Vancouver brings back anti-graffiti program after budget cutbacks lead to resurgence”Acquired from the Vancouver SunJuly 13, 2011By: Jeff Leejefflee@vancouversun.comVANCOUVER — The City of Vancouver is re-establishing its complete anti-graffiti program after discovering that severely cutting it brought the problem back in force. Last year in a budget-restraint measure, the city dramatically cut its $1-million annual budget to fight the problem.EYE ON ITCurrent Graffiti TrendsYarn BombingThe Global PhenomenonSome call it graffiti with the feminine flair.Others call it Grandma Graffiti.Or is it artistic vandalism?Graffiti in the News: Vancouver, B.C.VENDOR SPOTLIGHTTHE Fields CompanyGraffiti Problems???THE Fields Company can restore your windows and help protect them from future vandalism.Anti-graffiti film can be applied to your windows and doors to protect your restored glass from future vandalism.One window…Two windows…THE WHOLE BUILDING –We work to satisfy any customer’s needs.Call (925) 294-8183 for a free estimate.(925) 294-8183 (office)(925) 294-8157 (fax)www.StopScratchedGlass.com<br />