Most days, Fort Greene resident Grant Bremer is a master of the universe, working in the technology division at Goldman Sachs, one of the world’s largest investment firms.
Today, he’s digging the dirt at his local park.
Wearing jeans and a red, company-issued “Community Teamworks 2007” T-shirt, Bremer joined a dozen co-workers in Fort Greene Park on Tuesday, following their company’s recommendation to work at least one day of community service every year.
“We do all sorts of things,” Bremer said. “Stuff like gardening, painting, walking dogs.”
The Goldman Sachs program has been in place for 11 years, and employees — 95 percent of them, according to a company spokesperson — jump at the opportunity to work outdoors rather than write code, trade bonds or advise the wealthy how to hold onto their money.
During the day at Fort Greene Park, the Goldman workers were relaxed, taking frequent breaks to make calls or get coffee. The only signs that they work for the upper-crust firm (besides those T-shirts) were the Rolexes on their wrists, the digital cameras in their back pockets, and the Blackberry clipped to Bremer’s belt.
“We’re having fun,” said Charlie Che, a strategist in the company’s equities division who lives in Manhattan, unlike most of the others, who live nearer to the park.
“It’s been a while since I did gardening. I love it.”
Nearby, a few employees got into the spirit of things, digging up a small boulder and prying it from the ground. When they finally got it out, they posed with it like it was a prize fish.
On cue, Bremer whipped out his digital camera and snapped a picture, a souvenir of the one-day, community-oriented vacation.
“It’s part of the corporate culture,” says Natasha Dunbar, a financial analyst from Fort Greene. “Giving back.”
At least this day.
