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Friday, April 25, 2014

Broad Channel Bits



By Dan Guarino

Spring is in the chilly air, and so is spring cleaning. On Monday, I am sure I saw someone in their pajamas, walking around their roof, cleaning their upper windows from the outside.
That’s dedication, Broad Channel!
This Saturday is Opening Day for the Broad Channel Athletic Club! Kids, coaches, parents, families and supporters will be assembling at 17th Road Park, near the library, at 9 a.m.
The Opening Day Parade will step off at 9:30 a.m. sharp with everyone marching from there all the way to the BCAC Memorial Field.
If you have never been to one of these events before, absolutely come out. This is something for the whole town to enjoy and be part of. Picture all ages and sizes of kids, all in their colorful uniforms, and adults marching along together by the hundreds down Cross Bay Boulevard.
Last year workmen standing on the roofs of houses still being rebuilt from the storm stopped and watched and enjoyed it, too.
There will be opening day ceremonies once everyone has arrived at the field, at around 10:30 a.m.
After that the games will begin. There will be in-house games right after the ceremonies and then CYO games starting at 1 p.m. All the kids will get a hot dog and a drink and there will be bouncy rides, too.
I had a great time marching along, running along sometimes and walking backwards quite a few times, last year as I photographed and reported on the parade. The kids were great, so excited and full of fun. And it was the first parade since the hurricane, so everyone was thrilled to be there.
This year I was deeply, deeply honored to receive an invitation to be part of Opening Day ceremonies. Thanks, BCAC.
You can also celebrate Earth Day at Jamaica Bay on Saturday. The American Littoral Society, Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers and the Broad Channel Civic Association are doing a Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Walk at 10 a.m. At 12 noon there will be a community cleanup at Sunset Cove and American Park down by the Cross Bay Bridge. All cleanup volunteers will be eligible to win tickets to see Jack Johnson in concert. Check facebook.com/alsnyc or email the American Littoral Society at NEChapter@littoralsociety.org or call 718-474- 0896.
Get your gloves on and your shovels out. The Beautification Committee is kicking off this year’s Adopt-A-Tree and Spring Planting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 10. Plants will be distributed. All are welcome to come down, plant in the tree pits and spruce up the median on Cross Bay Boulevard. Bring the family and friends. Enjoy the fresh air and help make Broad Channel beautiful.
If you’re around Fort Tilden later that day, you can relax and enjoy the Quintet of the Americas. They’ll be making great music at the Rockaway Artists Alliance’s T-7 Gallery.
Oh, and as president of the RAA, I would just like to once again thank all the PS 47 kidsmART kids and parents who made our part of the Rockaway St. Pat’s parade such a success. I’m just relooking at pictures of that event now and you guys were great!
So far as I know the beagle Lauren Hawk found wandering near the new YMCA in Rockaway Beach is still unclaimed. The well trained, sweet tempered pup is 8-9 years old, heavy set and has a collar, but no tags. If you know who he might belong to, contact Lauren at 516-371-3949.
Don’t forget to donate to the Broad Channel Vollies. Even if you misplaced their fundraising letter, you can always stop by the firehouse on Noel Road. By the way, they will send you a very nice thank you letter, too!
There was a great Easter egg hunt at the BCAC Memorial Field on Saturday, April 19. Got pictures? I would love to see them. Might make a good story for The Wave. Send to dan@rockawave.com.
The BC Historical Society is living in the future. They are looking for great photos for next year’s Historical calendar and the collection. Go to broadchannelhistoricalsociety.org and contact them.
Boating season is upon us. Pick up a 2014 BC calendar now. It has all the tide information you need. Even if you just need to know when to park your car on the Boulevard.
The BC Historical Society could use a good place to store their collection. Got a place or know of one? Make contact through the website.
Easter weekend services were beautiful in Broad Channel, reflecting both the sorrow and the joy of the season. There was a very moving Good Friday service at Christ Presbyterian. St. Virgilius had a lovely Sunday service. I was glad to be invited by organist Dianne James to sing for the 10 a.m. service.
The Shad Creek Association 2014 Golf Outing is coming up on Friday, June 13. Therewillbea3p.m.shotgunstart.It’s $75 per golfer, which will include beer, soda and water at the course and also a tee-shirt and koozie. Later there will be an awards party and dinner at the Shad Creek Association at 529 Shad Creek Road in Broad Channel. There will be “closest to the pin” contests, 50/50s and more. Even if you don’t golf, you can support and enjoy the party for $30. Get your foursome registered right away. Contact Mike Kelly, 917-868-4453 or email michael_ p_ kelly@yahoo.com.
The BC Library has been returning items to the shelves. These are books, CDs and other items that were saved from the storm and had been in storage since then. Stop by and take out some old favorites.
Sending out a ‘thank you’ to Ana Gustafson, editor of the Queens Forum, for the great article “The Past And Present To Tell The Story Of Broad Channel,” which was about the new BC book I’ll be working on. More recently she has also interviewed Barbara Toborg for the article “From A Sea Of Binders, Imagining The Broad Channel Of Long Ago.”
The Forum has done a good job on picking up Rockaway and Broad Channel issues and letting the rest ofQueens know about them. Thanks, Ana.
Got BC news? Send it to workingstories@aol.com.
Thanks for reading!

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