By Barbara Morris
Students at PS 156 (winners of one of the Pathfinder awards), were treated April 23 to a preview of some of the actual acts from the UniverSoul Circus right in their very own auditorium. Clowns and acrobats did their thing, and we are told the place really rocked.
Andrea Duncan, chief of staff to City Councilman James Sanders Jr. (D-Laurelton), represented Sanders, who was attending another important meeting elsewhere. He was, however, there in spirit and made sure that the school received free tickets to the circus as a reward for winning that special Pathfinder award. MS 180 in Rockaway Beach and PS 215 in Far Rockaway were also given a portion of the 300 tickets Sanders secured for school children in his district.
The councilman actually took part in the circus April 28 as ringmaster. We are told he works very hard and keeps his staff on the go all the time, so they hope he doesn't decide to keep that ringmaster's whip to make them work even harder (he wouldn't do that).
Between the circus' coming to town and the beginning of Little League season, our young people will be kept very busy, indeed. We wish everyone a lot of fun, good sportsmanship and no injuries. We also hope all the strange weather we have had will straighten out so that the games can go on without being rained out.
We want to give thanks to the folks who work so hard and spend so much time planning and training the youngsters not only with the Little Leagues but also with the Metro Eagles Track and Field Club, which has come a long way in a comparatively short time.
We hope to see them at the second annual Eastern Queens Alliance's Run for Idlewild Park Wetlands 5K run and 2.5K family walk Saturday, May 22, at 9 a.m. rain or shine. The race is scheduled to start at Springfield Lane and 148th Avenue, wind through the local streets of Rosedale and Springfield Gardens, between 178th Place and 232nd Street south of South Conduit, and end at 223rd Street and 148th Avenue in front of the Field of Dreams.
Registration for the 5K run will be $12 by May 24 ($18 on race day) at Cricket Field from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. If you are one of the first 250 runners to register, there will be a T-shirt for you, so hurry. If walking is more your thing, the preregistration for the 2.5K walk is $10 ($12 on race day).
Prizes for the 5K run will be awarded to the top male and female overall finishers and the top three finishers by age groups, (and don't think you won't fit into one of those). No one has been left out.
The groups are male and female 14 years and under; 15 to 19; 20 to 29; 30 to 39; 40 to 49; 50 to 59; and 60 and up. There will be random drawings after the race for additional prizes. All registered runners and walkers will be eligible for those. Incidentally, the fee for youths under 18 will be $5 with the remainder sponsored by corporate sponsors.
As busy as you are, if you are in good health and want to help make it possible to establish Idlewild Park Saltwater Marsh Environmental Center and benefit Idlewild Park Forever Wild Conservation projects, please plan to participate. Make checks payable to EQA 5K Run for the Wetlands Fund, and contact the Wetlands Run Hotline at 718-527-3678, 212-735-3401 or e-mail eqa@att.net for registration and sponsor forms.
More parades are scheduled for Memorial Day, May 31, and we hope everyone will come out to support them. The Laurelton Parade will assemble at Merrick and Francis Lewis boulevards at 9 a.m. and step off at 9:30 a.m. along Merrick Boulevard to 225th Street. It will continue south to North Conduit Avenue at the Veterans' Memorial Triangle.
The parade is sponsored by the Laurelton Lions Club (founders of the event); the Garden Club of Laurelton; American Legion Post 1946; and the Federated Blocks of Laurelton in conjunction with VFW Post 5298.
The Rosedale parade will line up at 10 a.m., step off at 10:30 a.m. on 243rd Street and Mayda (in front of North Fork Bank) and march to South Conduit at Veterans' Square for memorial services at 11 a.m. Our veterans and our service personnel want, need and deserve the support and appreciation of everyone who is fortunate enough to be living in this country.
Please come out and remember to hold our Stars and Stripes high. A lot of veterans have paid a high price to keep it flying.
