By Dee Richard
Is everyone ready for the big Memorial Day weekend? Queens happens to be a very patriotic borough with many parades and celebrations in most of its local neighborhoods. Giving areas their own identification such as Astoria, Bayside, St. Albans, Jamaica, Howard Beach, etc. seems to bind neighborhoods together with a sense of community rather than the impersonal 21st Avenue or 164th Street, etc. and thereby engenders a sense of pride of one’s community.
Some of the parades we know of are those in College Point, Whitestone, Little Neck-Douglaston, Forest Hills, Laurelton and Rosedale. If you live in any of those areas and would like more details such as time and place, contact your local elected official’s office, as I am sure they will be marching in your local parade. If you can’t actually march, at least show your support by cheering them on from the sidelines. We hope everyone has a fun-filled, safe and happy Memorial Day.
Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin sponsored a health fair last Sunday at St. Andrew Avelino school. About 130 people attended. They had free tests and screenings for bone density, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar levels and eye tests for vision acuity and glaucoma. There were also a number of tables where they dispensed all kinds of interesting literature and information regarding services and programs offered by the organizations connected with the health industry.
While this was not an official medical examination, it did point out possible problems and also pointed the people in the right direction to help them obtain whatever further medical advice of a more in-depth nature they might need.
Peggy Dahike of New York Hospital Queens gave an interesting and informative presentation on the increased risks women face concerning heart attacks and other heart-related problems. We knew Peggy from the past when she worked for the Cancer Society. Good luck, Peggy, on your new job, it was good meeting up with you again. Be sure to keep us informed of any new projects you or the hospital are involved in that our readership might find interesting.
While there, we also ran into Judge Joseph Dorsa and his wife, Mary Ann. They, like myself, took advantage of the free testing and we all agreed it was a good feeling and a sense of relief to get a clean bill of health. When feeling OK, most of us put off annual checkups as we are much too busy to take the time; however, as long as we were attending an event like this, it was so easy and convenient to avail ourselves of the opportunity to get checked out.
If you hear of a health fair in your neighborhood, be sure to attend and take advantage of all it offers. Thank you, Brian McLaughlin, for your generosity in providing such a great and thoughtful community service.
An apology to those who were looking for their photos on the Focus on Queens page. A friend passed away at 1 p.m. Friday and they had a viewing followed by a ceremony at the church and then the internment. Afterward they had a collation for friends and family. This took place in St. James, which is rather far out on the Island — thereby making it impossible to get back to the TimesLedger by 3 p.m., which is when they want all the photos in.
A fun event is looming on our horizon. The Jefferson Democratic Club has challenged the Northeast Queens Republican Club to a softball game. The NEQ Republican Club accepted the challenge. The game is scheduled for Saturday, July 7, at ballfield No. 7 in Alley Pond Park.
As of now they hope to get the game going by 9 a.m. McLaughlin has agreed to be the umpire for the Democratic team and state Sen. Frank Padavan has agreed to be the umpire for the Republican team. Be sure and bring food and beverages, as everyone plans on having a picnic after the game. It sounds like a summer fun day in the park, so be sure and join us. Thank you, John Frank of the Jefferson club, for coming up with such a great idea. Everyone is so enthusiastic and looking forward to it.
It’s that time again: Petitioning starts Tuesday, June 8. See what you can do to volunteer some time to help in your club or organization. If petitioning is not your thing, everyone is also conducting voter registration drives. Maybe you could help out in that capacity. We know everyone is busy but even a two-hour stint would be helpful. Remember, you can’t very well complain about the results if you are not willing to help change them, so get involved.
Whatever else I was going to write about just got bumped, as Randy Newton, son of Dot Newton, just called to say his mom died last Thursday.
Dot was a lifetime Queens resident. She was born in Flushing and through the years became a longtime resident of Douglaston. She is survived by her three children, Pamela, Barbara and Robert (Randy), and a grandson, Stephen Weltsek V. From 1977 to 1983 Dot worked as editor of the Little Neck Ledger and after that she worked as a district office manager for Padavan until her retirement in December 2003.
During her lifetime, Dot was very active in the Bayside Historical Society, the Douglas Manor Environmental Association, the Queens County Farm Museum APEC as well as in many projects concerning the Douglaston Community Church. In lieu of a wake or formal funeral, the family is making arrangements to conduct a memorial service. We will all miss you, Dot, and will remember you in our prayers.
Till next week,
Dee
