Broad Channel Bits
 |
| Photo By Dan Guarino |
Very early the other day I stepped from my bedroom door and looked out my front window at the rising sun. It was a red orange ball floating above the train tracks. Down below, its glow formed a shimmering twin on the gentle ripples of a calm Jamaica Bay.
Every day now, rain, clouds or sunshine, this is what I am blessed to wake up to. It’s like every day Broad Channel goes out of its way to remind us of how beautiful the place we live in really is.
Get ready to browse! This weekend it’s the VFW Yard Sale! That will be at the VFW Hall at 705 Shad Creek Road on Saturday, September 7th from 10-4 and Sunday, September 8th from 10-3.
You might need lots of things for the home. And, ten months after the storm, who doesn’t? Or you might find something fun. Or you may run into exactly what you were looking for, even though you didn’t know you needed it!
Whether you’re coming from around the corner or across the bridge, you are welcomed! Come on down!
To all our BC students going back to school this Monday, September 9th, this is the year to show them what you can do! For our little ones just starting this year, don’t worry. You’ll do great. And you’ll fit in in no time.
I hope our parochial school kids who started last Wednesday had a good first week.
Meantime St. Camillus-St. Virgilius Religious Education classes will start on Wednesday, September 11th. All Catholic students who attend public schools are encouraged to register.
There are no registration fees. Classes for Grade 1-7 will meet at 3:30 p.m. in St. Camillus Church. Grade 8 will meet at 4 p.m. in St. Camillus Church. Classes are 90 minutes and will be held in St. Camillus School.
Textbooks will be distributed on the first day class. To register, call 718-634- 8229 or email saintvirg2@aol.com
Father Richie Olhmeyer let me know that “When the school buildings in Broad Channel are repaired, classes will be held at St. Virgilius.”
He also tells me St. C. has a new principal, Ms. Lisa Kennedy, a very able educator and administrator. Welcome.
In case you are wondering, Father noted that, “After 11 years as Principal of St. Camillus and over 50 years in education, Sister Agnes is on a sabbatical for several months. When she returns, she will accept a new mission in the community.”
It was a pleasure speaking to Father Richie after the Mardi Gras parade. We chatted on the brick steps of Hillebrand’s Funeral Home.
The St. Virgilius Golden Age started meeting this week at the American Legion Hall at 209 Cross Bay Boulevard in Broad Channel. They will be meeting every Thursday afternoon at 12:30 p.m.
Come, enjoy, mingle and find out what this group is all about.
This may seem like a never ending circle, but I would like to thank everyone who’s thanked me for writing or given me good words and encouragement about the column. It really lets me know I am doing my job to the fullest and doing right by BC.
This just in from Cindi Ciappetti; “St. Virgilius-St Camillus BCAC Boys Swim Team Registration will be held on Saturday, September 14th, at 1:30 p.m. and Saturday, September 21st, at 1:30 p.m., at Far Rockaway High School. It’ll be poolside (so wear your suit, there will be practice)”
The fee is $175 per child. Any questions, please call Freddy at 718-877- 3467.
Get your green on. The First Annual Good Old Fashioned Clean Up is coming on Sunday, September 15th starting at 9 a.m.
Join your friends, neighbors and some really cheerful volunteers in cleaning, planting and sprucing up the Boulevard median and every BC block.
If you’d like to be a block captain, call Jessica Allen at 646-784-1392.
Assemblyman Goldfeder, NYC Parks and DSNY will be supporting the event. Some supplies will be available.
Biggest news this week? The Mardi Gras parade!
The weather stood back, the rain held off and BC marched through.
Sure as anything, Broad Channel people turned from rebuilding their homes and started building floats.
And despite many people still not being back in town, it felt like the turnout of parade watchers was bigger than ever.
Here’s a special note sent from this year’s designated summer long fundraising beneficiary, the Broad Channel Athletic Club.
“The BCAC would like to thank the following people... Grassy Point for helping out all summer. Ruffle Bar for all the events they ran, raising over $2,500. Tim Hanning, Jack Allen, Jim Mangan and other BCAC members who hosted family events raising almost $4,000.
“And a special thanks to Prince John (parents Danielle and John McCarthy) and Princess Juliet (parents Monique and Frank Henglein) who worked tirelessly to raise over $13,000!
“Thank you to our neighbors in Broad Channel for their continued support!
“The parade was a success with over 11 floats. Some of the big winners were Teen Beach Party, Pint Size Pirates, Cereal Wars, The Evolution of Hip, It's Tricky and Boom Box.
“Broad Channel proved again this weekend that traditions mean everything.” Amen.
These days it’s hard to find yourself missing e-mail. At all.
Such was not the case though with Pete Mahon and the West 12th Road Block Association blog.
Many missed this prolific and very informative e-source of news about Broad Channel and beyond.
What happened? Where did it go? Where did he go? Did anybody check after the last really high tide?
Apparently all is well and the blog is back.
But Pete has a very important message for BC: “Please make every attempt to attend (the) nation-wide "Stop FEMA Now" Rally at the Broad Channel American Legion Hall on Saturday, September 28th at 12 noon!”
More on that next week.
Finally, WELCOME HOME to Jack and Jessica Allen and their four children. Even though they weren’t yet able to live back here in BC, they spent countless hours doing things for the community and helping others. Now they have finally come home.
To paraphrase somebody very wise, if Broad Channel didn’t have such good people in it, then it wouldn’t be Broad Channel.
Got BC news/info? Send it to workingstories@aol.com.
Thanks for reading!
No comments:
Post a Comment