Broad Channel Bits
Late in the afternoon on the one year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, I was driving along the bay and into a beautiful sunset. I was heading towards a Night of Reflection hosted by the Rockaway Artists Alliance at Fort Tilden. There’s also a great exhibition there, aptly named Calm/Storm/Rebirth
The setting sun on that day of days, marking one year to the day when our world was bowled over and knocked upside down, was not like any I had ever seen.
The sun was a huge flat yellow, red, orange disc. The clouds swam around it in the brightest colors. If you asked me to compare it to any other sunset I had seen anywhere in my life, I could not. If you asked me to describe it and do it justice, I would have no words.
It was a one in a million. A reminder of how beautiful where we live is? It was a whisper of better days to come, after we have come through so much? I don’t know.
But it felt good.
Don’t forget this Sunday, November 3rd there will be a Memorial Mass at St. Virgilius for all who died from the parish in the past two years.
The Halloween Party at the American Legion last Saturday, October 26th, was a blast! People went all out with the most imaginative costumes and themes. There were so many real standouts!
The place was packed and the Legion was such great hosts.
Keep your eyes open for their New Year’s Party!
Broad Channel welcomes a brand new resident. Hello, bouncing baby boy Charlie Madden!
Daylight Savings Time starts overnight at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 3rd. Fall back.
Here’s something worth waking up early for. The American Legion Auxiliary Brunch to benefit the Children's Annual Christmas Party is on for Sunday, November 10th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Enjoy a great breakfast, sitting down with family, friends and neighbors or just relaxing with your newspaper.
Feel lucky? There will be raffles and 50/50’s. Win or not, it all goes to a good cause. Proceeds go to making sure this year’s Children’s Party is the best ever!
Meantime the much anticipated VFW Penny Social is just around the corner on Saturday, November 16th. Doors open 6 p.m., calling starts at 7 p.m. $10 admission includes raffles, cake and coffee.
The VFW Hall is still being rebuilt from the storm, so the social will be at the Legion Hall. The VFW expresses its great thanks to the American Legion for opening their doors.
Reserve your table now. Call 646-344- 2640. All proceeds will support the annual Thanksgiving dinner the VFW does for the disabled veterans of the St. Albans home.
Welcome, 2014. The new Broad Channel Historical Calendars are in! It has a great BC cover and terrific vintage photos. And even if you are not a boater, you’ll want to have the high tide times so you’ll know when to move the car.
Still $5 apiece, you can buy them at All American Channel Market, Rock and Roll Bagels, at BC Civic meetings and from Historical Committee members like Barbara Toborg, Dan Mundy, Joe Young, me and others.
Also Barbara Toborg writes, “I notice many people in town bought chrysanthemums for decoration on their porches, etc. If they do not intend to plant them, they might consider donating them to the subway station garden. Just drop them off at my house at 17 East 6th Road, and we will add them to the garden.”
Let’s make the Channel greener.
Sorry I did not catch your name. But my thanks to the woman who walked all the way from her home inBroad Channel, over the Cross Bay Bridge and down to Beach 88th Street to pick up a copy of the special Sandy anniversary issue at the Wave office. It was appreciated. Everyone here worked very hard- nights and weekends straight through- to do justice to what is all of our story.
Book mark: the Broad Channel library will be closed on Monday, November 11th in observance of Veteran’s Day.
By the way, the 24-hour automatic book return is back. No more late fees! Enjoy returning books, CD’s and videos at 5 a.m. I have. You know, prior to when the storm took it out, that piece of library automation made us the envy of other communities.
Hope you were able to make it to the ecumenical prayer service at Christ Presbyterian Church by the Sea last Sunday marking the one year anniversary of the hurricane.
Across the bridge, there were familiar faces at the very grand reopening of the Seaside Library on Sunday, October 27th. Our own librarian Carol Scheper was there and also BC’s Steve Hawks, playing double bass along with Breezy Grass band mates Vic LaMora, Matty Lyons and drummer Dennis. It was the most lively library party I’ve ever been to.
Speaking of which, you might see a familiar face or hear a familiar voice at the Sunday, November 3rd New York City Marathon. Broad Channel’s own Gary Russo will be singing at the opening ceremony. If you haven’t yet had the pleasure, look Gary up on Youtube.com. You are in for a treat.
My cousin Maria and her husband George Kramer loved Broad Channel. We certainly had some enjoyable times in BC and Rockaway this year and in summers gone by.
Years ago they had bought land on Van Brunt Road, hoping to build a lovely home out over the water. Due to city red tape, they never did get to build that house.
This past week, George passed away. I will never forget the one terrific day we spent in the Channel when a friend invited us three in for a special tour of his bungalow out on the boardwalk on the East Side. George loved it. I will miss him.
Spotted on Beach Channel Drive: Hello, New York license plate “BCAC MOM”! Loved it.
Keep those BC news bits coming in. Send upcoming events, organization news, homecomings toworkingstories@rockawave.com.
Thanks for reading!
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