It was an extraordinary week with the powerful event we organized to recognize women in Queens who have had a huge impact. Then, on the weekend, we celebrated two of my granddaughters’ birthdays. The grand finale of the weekend was to see the final performance of my favorite colossal show, the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus, truly for me THE greatest show on earth, and it didn’t disappoint me.
This year, our Star of Stars at the Queens Power Women event were two extraordinary women, NY1 news anchor and author Cheryl Wills and the amazing and beautiful Matilda Cuomo. She has spent the last three decades of her life as the founder and leader of Mentoring USA, a program that has grown to be an international one. Remembering her roots, she recently opened her mentoring program at her hometown high school in Brooklyn — Midwood High School.
When she shared that with me, I immediately said, “I went to rival James Madison High School. Let’s set up a program there,” and sure enough, we both went there and met with the principal Jodie Cohen, and now both schools are offering one-on-one mentoring.
Cheryl Wills has had a brilliant, award-winning career beginning at NY1 News when it was created and rising to an anchor position. She recently created and hosts “In Focus with Cheryl Wills,” a public affairs program for the new owner,Spectrum News Network. The night of the Power Women in Business networking event, she gave me a copy of one of the books she wrote about her great, great, great-grandfather, The Emancipation of Grandpa Sandy Wills. I read it with my grandson eight-year-old Jonah and he was enthralled by the story of Grandpa Wills who was stolen from his farm when he was 10 years old and sold into slavery. The engrossing story tells in simple words his journey to freedom after fighting in the Civil War and creating a family of nine children. It is a wonderful, engaging biography that she has shared internationally. Jonah and I loved reading it!
It was such fun as Cheryl and I introduced the honorees who joyously walked the red carpet to receive their “VICKI” statue. What a night enjoyed by 600 people paying their respects to the unique women we honored!
On Saturday, my granddaughter Addy turned six. When she was four, she decided she wanted a farm animal costume party in our backyard and the tradition has continued. She told me I couldn’t wear a hat because last year I scared the pony. So this year I dressed as a Chinese Empress and dyed my hair black. My kids didn’t recognize me until they heard my voice. It was a success, but I’m not meant for black hair! Addy and her mom Elizabeth dressed as a Cinderella and a princess. It was so sweet to see the loving tenderness as the other six-year old guests petted the stately llamas, bushytailed plush white bunnies and squawking chickens . They all had pony rides, each with smiles as big as the full moon.
So a tradition has been created by adorable Addy.
The next day was her cousin my granddaughter Morgan’s eighth birthday celebration. Since she had a shared party at a sports center a week before, we had a birthday lunch celebration on her real birthday before we went to the circus.
The circus, one of my favorite shows on earth, was having its final performances at the newly renovated Nassau Colosseum, a stunningly covered, silver shell circular building. We were able to get tickets to the last day’s performance on Sunday, and as we made our way into the arena, it was hard to believe the Greatest Show on Earth was ending its rule after its extraordinary run. Founded in 1871, its closing date was May 21, 2017. My grandchildren and I were in awe, amazement, laughter and just plain joy as we relished the 2-1/2 hour show.
Sadly, there were protesters outside the arena blasting the circus for its animal treatment. Unfortunately, they were powerful enough to turn people away from the circus when the Feld Organization had to remove the elephants from the show. It impacted attendance that forced the closing of the circus with costs continuing to rise as they do in every business. All I can say was that the enthralled audience — from infants in carriers to grandmas like me — all cheered, applauded and loved looking into the eyes of their children who watched in awe as the trapeze artists completed a quadruple twirl, the horseback riders did somersaults around the belly of the beast and came up smiling, the fire flying in a circle around the rink with skaters on stilts dancing around the flames, and the lions looking ferocious, following their trainer and his commands. What fun!
Can’t someone buy the name and reinstate our beloved circus? It was a soldout show and as I watched the crowds leaving the arena, there wasn’t one person without a smile on his or her face-including mine!
