By Sabina Cardali
Welcome to the Point. The Point being College Point. Spring has finally arrived and it certainly is most welcome. The grass is green and growing, and the flowers are budding. The birds are flying and chirping and very happy that their real spring weather has finally arrived.
Congratulations to MaryAnn Fanelli, who bowled 211, and to Maureen Pupplo, who bowled 246, at Whitestone Lanes.
Happy birthday to Steve Ryan and to Pat Scary.
Melissa Chopard and her volunteers assembled bags to send out to the troops. She wants to thank St. Fidelis parish, Tina Dallara, members of the Knights of Columbus Ambrose Council, Columbiettes of St. Ambrose, Atlantic Express Bus Lines, Xavier High School and Dr. Matteo, Chiropractic.
For the past 23 years, St. Agnes High School in College Point has made a commitment to ending world hunger. Students and faculty held a fast-a-thon to raise money for poor people in Africa. Any money that normally would have been spent on lunch that day was collected and sent to Tanzania.
Poppenhusen Institute will be having a bus trip on Saturday, May 31, to Fort Totten and the Historic Officer’s Club. Tickets are $10 and include transportation, entrance fee and tour. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Saturday, June 7, at 10 a.m. is the College Point Historic Walking Tour. It is approximately two hours. A $6 fee includes cookies and lemonade at the end of the tour. Preregistration is required.
Upcoming events for Boy Scouts Troop 20 from the First Reformed Church are a fund-raiser car wash at Greenpoint Bank in the parking lot at 14th Avenue and 123rd Street on Sunday, June 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and a fund-raiser pasta dinner at the First Reformed Church’s yard, weather permitting. Otherwise it will be in the chapel on Sunday, Sept. 21, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. There will be pre-sale tickets only. Price and how to get the tickets to be announced.
There also will be community service at the First Reformed Church in the yard, rain or shine. Annual Veterans’ Day Weekend Flag Retirement Ceremony will be Saturday, Nov. 8, at 8 p.m., hosted by the First Reformed Church’s Boy Scouts Troop 20 with Saint Fidelis Boy Scouts Troop 18.
This year will be a Friday-to-Sunday campout sleepover with the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts participating in the ceremony activities with invited guests from various arms of the military and associated organizations.
If you have a flag that is weather weary, please bring it to the VFW, which will properly take care of it.
The College Point Memorial Day Parade will start at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 25. If you aren’t in the parade, it is important that you, your family and friends will be observing it. It is important that we honor all our armed forces who are defending our country and our people.
Our Poppy Queen has been selected and her name is Lia Estrada. She is 10 years old and attends 5th Avenue Elementary School. Her brother Jonathan is going to Juliard. She participated in the Kohl program “Kids Who Care,” plays softball in the town and participated in the Pioneer Girl to aid underprivileged children with donations and prayers. Hair is donated as locks of love for cancer. Her grandmother, Mary Vesley, is very proud.
Sabina says…I hope you read my very important “Sabina says” note last week. It is so very critical and I will repeat it. Write to your elected officials about the loss of parks, zoos, fire stations and police, as this will become a serious situation not only for our children, but for everyone.
