By Dee Richard
I hope everyone had a happy Easter and an equally happy Passover. Have you noticed all the spring flowers and shrubbery just bursting with buds and blooms? Isn’t that a great feeling? Spring is always the harbinger of hope and new beginnings. After the exceptionally cold, dark, dreary winter, we look forward to experiencing spring as a most welcome change.
Some of the rites of spring are the local organizations’ getting ready for their spring and summer activities. Among them are the Little Neck-Douglaston Memorial Day Parade Organization, which is planning the parade for May 31. Its art and essay contest and pizza party will be May 29 in Father Smith Hall, and its annual luncheon at the Kings Point Merchant Marine Academy will be May 16.
The College Point Citizens for Memorial Day is beginning its fund-raising and is planning its event for May 30 at 2 p.m.
The Whitestone and the Forest Hills Memorial Day parade groups also are getting their parades and participants organized so they will be ready to go for their big day. There will be more details later. As I receive them, I will pass them on to you.
The Queens Little Leagues are also lined up and ready to go, and the parks and other open spaces are filled with bicyclers, rollerbladers, skateboarders, joggers, soccer players, golfers, etc. The boaters are getting ready to dock their boats in their regular summer moorings, and we can’t forget the wild ones who are revving up their Harleys. Spring has definitely sprung.
We had an exclusive interview with former Queens Alternative publisher Joyce Shepard, who said she is going to have a party showing off the all-new Joyce. She has just returned from Florida, where Dr. Cooper did her all over from top to toe. As soon as the swelling goes down and the black and blue marks disappear she will show us the all-new Joyce. Dr. Cooper has many well-known clients, among them is Jane Fonda.
Joyce also said she “feels her community needs more than a phantom assembly person.” She said anyone interested in running for the Assembly seat should contact her. She said she would endorse and actively campaign for him or her, as well as put that person on her Web site.
Shepherd also said that if no one shows any interest in running for the position she might consider taking on the challenge. Well, well — it looks like we’re not going to have a dull summer, after all. Is there anybody out there interested in running? I’d like to know.
In another exclusive interview we met Assemblyman Howard Mills, an upstate New York assemblyman representing the 95th Assembly District, which covers parts of Orange and Ulster counties. Mills said he is going to run against U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer for the Senate seat.
Queens County Republican Chairman and state Sen. Serf Maltese introduced Mills to all the Queens County state committee persons at the Republican headquarters in Glendale. Mills seems to be a very bright, ambitious and intelligent young man. He is the second person we have met recently who has announced he is running against Schumer.
The Queens Child Guidance Center held its annual dinner dance at Terrace on the Park. This year’s honorees were Carol Gresser, a former president of the Board of Education; Anthony Mannarino, former first executive vice president for the New York City economic development corp.; Amran Niazi of Transcorp Construction; and Joseph Ficalora, chief executive officer of New York Community Bank.
President Hank Auffarth was also the evening’s emcee; he was ably assisted by Executive Director Sandra Hagan. The dinner chair was Daniel Murphy, and the journal chair was Steve Spinola. The two raffle co-chairs were Georgiana Reese and Carol Ann Conslato, director of Queens public affairs for Con Edison.
All the Queens beautiful people came out to show their support for this very worthwhile organization. Not only was it a fine evening, but from all appearances it seemed to be quite a successful one.
Councilman Dennis Gallagher held a fund-raiser at Durows to help with his re-election campaign. That party also seemed to be a winner as there was standing room only at various times during the evening. While Dennis is a Republican he also enjoys support from some prominent Democrats and union leaders.
A great big thank you to former Parks Commissioner Henry “Starquest” Stern for the very clever, amusing animated e-mail birthday card. It was nice of you remember my day, April 1.
Another thanks goes to Debbie Markell for the lovely basket of flowers complete with a birthday balloon. Janet Malone, Mary Anderson, Myra Baird Herce, Debbie Markell and JoAnne DeMartino took me out for a lobster dinner at Friends Restaurant in Flushing.
The girls thought that the 39 routine was wearing a bit thin and suggested we try for 40 next year. Queens Courier publisher Victoria Schneps calls her gal palls the “Wow Girls.” My husband suggested we call our group the “Bow Wows.” We’re considering it. What do you think?
As usual you can reach me by voice mail at 718-767-6484, fax at 718-746-0066 or e-mail at deerrichard@aol.com.
Till next week,
Dee
