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Friday, March 20, 2015

Broad Channel Bits




By Dan Guarino
A belated St. Patrick’s Day to all.
I am not sure if belated is the right word. As I have mentioned before, in Rockaway and Broad Channel, St. Patrick’s isn’t just a day, it’s a season.

After bouncing along with the Rockaway parade from end to end one weekend, having a great St. Pat’s dinner with grand company (thank you, Ann and George Murray) the next, and looking forward to an Irish afternoon music show I’m putting together at RAA for Sunday, March 29, well, the celebration just doesn’t end. And why should it?
So what’s coming up this week?
This Saturday, March 21, at 8 p.m., Walker and the Brotherhood of the Grape, The Poor House, Ethoscope and guests will be playing at the VFW, 705 Shad Creek Road. The Post is hosting a benefit for veteran and musician Trevis “B.M.W.A.” Gilbert. Gilbert sings with Walker’s band. He was shot during a robbery; just before he was due to perform at a benefit for leukemia at Grassy’s back in February. The proceeds from the VFW show will go to help with his recovery, medical bills and loss of work. Everyone is welcome.
On Sunday, March 22, the VFW will be doing their monthly big bingo event. This supports programs like the grand St. Patrick’s dinner they did for disabled vets last week. Doors open for bingo at 12 noon. Door prizes, raffles, 50/50s and coffee and cake will be served.
Next Saturday, March 28, Brian’s Buddies are sponsoring a Penny Social Relay For Life Benefit at Christ Presbyterian By The Sea Church, 104 Noel Road. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Come down and enjoy great DJ music, 50/50s, raffles and more. BYOB.
The following day there will be a Palm Sunday Brunch at the American Legion Hall209 Cross Bay Blvd. That’s March 29 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eggs, omelets, pancakes, sausage, ham, bacon, drinks, coffee, tea, homemade cakes. Are you tempted yet? There’s always great company, wherever you sit. And as one of the hard working Ladies Auxiliary pointed out last time, brunches in BC are not where they put up sternos and racks and dole out trays of pre-cooked eggs and batches of flat pancakes. Every breakfast is whipped up fresh to order, just for you. I’ve cooked a lot of eggs and breakfasts in my time, hundreds of thousands (Yep, I used to be a cook. I worked for Friendly restaurants for 11 years as everything from waiter to assistant/acting manager), and that makes a big, delicious and happy difference. As with all Broad Channel events, you don’t have to be from BC to come to one or all of them. “Out of towners” are welcome!
Christ Presbyterian by the Sea Church will be hosting a very special guest as they present Breakfast with the Easter Bunny. That’s Sunday, April 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the newly rebuilt church hall just off102 Noel Road on Church Road. There will be eggs, pancakes, hash browns, sausages, bacon, Bloody Marys and Mimosas (presumably for those over 21 or over three feet tall), coffee, tea and juice. And there will be photos with the Easter Bunny, 50/50s and raffles. Admission for adults is $10 and children are $6. The sight of all those delighted children when the Easter Bunny walks in will always be priceless!
A few quick reminders: the Catholic Charities Brooklyn & Queens Disaster Case Managers program, which is helping individuals and families with Sandy recovery issues, is now at the Broad Channel library from 2 to 5 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of every month.
Mary LaPorta is working to raise funds for her Broad Channel born and raised nephew, Lewis Oldenbuttel. He is facing a kidney transplant. She set up the Lewis & Louie Fund athttp://dm.gofund.me/nic7mw to help him and his mom, Mary’s sister, and dad with the financial strain. Check the website, learn more, and help this Broad Channel family in need if you can.
Friends of Rockaway is ready to help with basic Sandy rebuilding with volunteer labor and low cost work. Call them at 347-625-7419 to find out the details and criteria.
Alan Andrus from Noel Road is working on building up the Howard Beach Motor Boat Club. Interested? Call him at 610-909-0000. Sounds like fun!
There was a moving piece in The Wave last week about the early days of the BCVFD over a century ago. There are even more great Vollies history stories at their Facebook page. The Vollies are also a living, growing organization and a pillar of this community. Now, especially post-Sandy, they could really use some helping hands. Did you know that volunteers are accepted from age 14 and up? There are training opportunities at all levels, including firefighting, safety and EMS. Whatever you are doing or plan to do in life, this is good experience and helps serve your town. As the poster says, “Dare to better yourself while training to save lives.” If you have a few hours, even just to answer phones, you CAN help. There will be a couple of open house events in late April, but call 718-474-6888 to find out more now.
There’s a special mention of the BCVFD and “appearances by our own Rich Bogart, Matthew Troy, Maciej Wojewoda, Ed Wilmarth III and Engine 208” in the short film Trapped Girl, directed by Beth Spitalny, written and produced by Catherine Fordham. “When the bathroom doorknob falls off, a girl is trapped inside. Beyond the door her life is falling apart, and when she’s set free hours later she finds herself stumbling into a new reality.” You can see it at www.vimeo.com/ 84340781.
Come out to the T-7 Gallery at Fort Tilden on Sunday, March 29. Starting at 1 p.m. the Rockaway Artists Alliance is presenting An Irish Afternoon of Songs, Stories, Humor and More…It’s something for the whole family.
Got Broad Channel info? Send it toworkingstories@aol.com.
Thanks for reading
!

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