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Saturday, May 10, 2014

Broad Channel Bits


By Dan Guarino
Tides were very high last week. From my deck I could see my neighbor Marty at the bay’s edge, maneuvering some of the large leftover storm debris now that it was up and floating. There was a blue painted gangway, a piece of a deck and a large floating dock among other pieces. At least one morning the tide came far up my ‘backyard’ and left debris at my front step. By the way, if anybody lost a blue bath mat in the storm, I think I found it.
There’s plenty to do this weekend in the Channel. Tomorrow, Saturday, May 10, starting at 10 a.m. come on out for the BC Beautification Committee’s Adopt-A-Tree and Spring Planting.
Bring gloves and gardening tools to the median on Cross Bay Boulevard to clean, spruce up, dig, weed, garden, plant and beautify the tree pits. Enjoy the fresh air, the outdoors and help make Broad Channel beautiful. Flowers will be distributed. Even if you’re not from Broad Channel, you are more than welcome to come down and help.
The event will be on rain or shine. Rain will help the flowers grow!
Starting at 1 p.m. over on Noel Road, the Broad Channel Volunteer Fire Department is having an open house.
Chief Ed Wilmarth III says, “We will have various stations set up that folks can visit to be instructed on how the department works, how you can help and how to better protect your family in the event of a fire or emergency. There will be free blood pressure checks and a fire engine station for the kids (and adults) to try on gear and use the hose.” The Vollies will be going till 5 p.m., so make it over and have a look. It’ll be fun.
Rain date is Saturday, May 17.
You can also hop over the bridge and enjoy a free concert at Fort Tilden on Saturday. The Quintet of the America’s will be playing on “Tone and Color,” musically weaving together the dynamics color, black and white. The Quintet is presenting this concert program in conjunction with the Rockaway Artists Alliance. It starts at 2 p.m. at RAA’s T-7 Gallery. There’s plenty of parking, too.
Last I looked the “Right Turn Permitted On Red” sign is still not back up on the pole at 20th Road. Please be aware, so you don’t get a ticket.
Reminder: The BCVFD is the Mardi Gras host and beneficiary this year. You can contact them at their business number, 718-474-6888, if you would like to be on the Mardi Gras committee. Every endeavor can always use a few more hands and lots of great ideas.
The BCFVD’s fund drive is still going strong. A portion of all monies collected will go to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Race for the Cure. Make your donation today, so it can do the most good in the shortest amount of time.
Put this number on your fridge: BCVFD Emergency Hotline: 718-474- 8888.
Pull over and read this: You can sign up for the new six hour defensive driving class right now. The two part class will be held on Tuesday, June 3 and 10, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the St. Camillus Auditorium at 185 Beach 99th Street, Rockaway Park.
Taking this course will get you a 10 percent discount off liability, collision and no fault insurance for the next three yearsanduptoa4pointreductionoff your driver’s license. There will be no test and refreshments will be served. And proceeds go to benefit St. Camillus- St Virgilius’s religious instruction program (CCD). Your $45 payment guarantees you a seat. Buckle up and call Helen at 917-553-2409 or 718-945- 4648.
Got BC news? Send it to workingstories@aol.com. Thanks for reading!
Finally, I am not sure how to take this, but I was the first ‘suspect’ on Pete Mahon’s list when Kevin Boyle’s ‘Boyleing Points’ column went missing a few weeks ago. Of course, it did cross my mind that this would leave more space for even more Broad Channel stories, but, uh, that would be wrong. Yes.
But I have come to praise Kevin Boyle, not to bury him.
As you know by now, Kevin is leaving The Wave.
Being a modest man, what follows will surely make him cringe. So, Kevin, I will ask you to stop reading now. Everybody else, play through.
I have had the pleasure of working with Kevin Boyle since day three of my joining The Wave 16 months ago. It was at day 2.5, after having met him that morning, that he turned to me and asked if I wanted to take on the job of assistant editor.
If you talk to enough people in Rockaway and Broad Channel, you will find many people of intelligence and vision. They see not only what this spot in the world can be, but also what it will take to get there and what’s in the way. In our post-Sandy world, we have needed those people and their hard work more than ever.
As editor of The Wave, Kevin has seen what Rockaway can be and pushed at every opportunity to let other people know. Where things have been in the way, at a local, state and national level, he has pointed that out.
In the process he has taken The Wave from being a good paper to being a great paper, and made it a central part of our community. It has been recognized and awarded in many places. It has become a trusted information source, an advocate for our communities and a point of pride which those of us in Rockaway and Broad Channel share with others.
Maybe the hurricane was the perfect time for that. There’s that big picture thinking again.
Producing The Wave is a full team effort. In his time as editor, it was Kevin that squarely set the direction forward.
Life is change. Things rarely stay in one place.
I do not know what Kevin will do next, but I will wish him all the best.
It has been my pleasure and my honor to work with him and serve our community.
Bon voyage, Kevin Boyle. And thanks.

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