Between the Bridges: "Early Birding" New Years Day at the VFW

Between the Bridges

by Peter Mahon

January 7th, 2016

Back in October of 2013, our esteemed editor, Kevin Boyle, penned a marvelous Boyleing Points column entitled Early Birders Are the Real Hipsters wherein he redefined the term "early birding" and, in doing so, penned a classic homage to daytime/afternoon tippling.   Mr. Boyle was way ahead of the curve on this one as can be attested to by the fact that the canteen at the Broad Channel VFW was packed New Year’s Day with many Broad Channel residents enjoying the copious food and libations on hand. Don’t just take my word for it, Broad Channel’s former and famous postal delivery woman, Kathleen Reardon Savino, remarked “Stayed in New Year's Eve but spent a great day with…friends at the VFW New Year's Day…We had delicious food, snacks and of course lots of fun!” As Kevin pointed in his Boyleing Points almost three years ago,afternoon dining with a side of drinking can help you maintain the wild and crazy reputation you worked so hard to achieve in your younger days. You can still appear really decadent and devil-may-care and no one has to know you’re planning to be in bed by 9.   To those who chafe at such goings and continually warn that alcohol may be man's worst enemy, may I state for the record that the Bible urges all of us to “love your enemy.”

Speaking of New Year’s, I personally believe the holiday was created by calendar companies who don't want us reusing last year's calendar but that being said, I know there are many of us who firmly view the New Year's holiday like some sort of life-changing event.  Since we are now fully one week into 2016 I have to ask, how’s all those New Year’s resolutions going for all of you out there?  As for me, my 2016 resolution is a fairly attainable one - not to go up in flames while attempting to balance myself on a Hover-Board!  As my recently broken right foot attests to the fact that I have difficulty maintaining my balance with both of my feet planted directly on terra firma, you can bet the odds of me climbing aboard one of those contraptions are just about non-existent.  

Remember, the good news is that you can reset your resolutions on January 14th (Orthodox New Year) and again on February 8th (Chinese New Year).  After that, even I can't help you.  

In any event, may all your troubles last only as long as your quickly discarded New Year’s resolutions.

This Saturday, January 9^th, the Broad Channel VFW will be hosting a “Friend in Need” fundraiser from 8 pm to midnight with a $10 donation at the door.  There will be three bands, door prizes, raffles and 50/50’s.  The fundraiser is to assist Minnie Horan, a member of the Broad Channel Horan family, in dealing with some serious and expensive medical problems. For additional information contact Eileen O’Hare at 646-388-2595 or Margaret Glade at 347-752-7688. 

Broad Channel – why would  anyone want to live anywhere else?