Vincent Renda, club chairman, with fiancée Elaina Sainato, one of the organizers of the event
April 19, 2012 By Christian Murray
The Sunnyside Woodside Boys and Girls Club will hold its 2nd Annual Recognizing Leaders Fundraiser on Saturday, May 19 to help raise funds for its youth programs, as well as pay tribute to local leaders who continue to give their time to improve the district.
“Leaders span several generations in Woodside and Sunnyside, and we must recognize them,” said Vincent Renda, the chairman of the Sunnyside Woodside Girls and Boys Club, who will emcee. “We will be honoring four women who have been great role models for our youth, and our task is to pass the torch from them to create the next generation of heroes and leaders.”
The leaders the club will be honoring are:
Gert McDonald. McDonald, 95, who went to school in Sunnyside, was the first woman in Queens County to run for elective office as a Democrat. While she lost the 1968 race, she opened the door for other women to run and, ultimately win.
Frances Schmidt. Schmidt is a member of the Sunnyside Woodside Lions Club, board member of both Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce and SunnysideArtists.org. She is also a member of the Republican Party in District 37. She is an active member of Queen of Angels Church, where she is a Eucharistic Minister.
Sister Maureen Ahlemeyer. Sister Ahlemeyer has taught local children at St. Raphael’s School since September 1977. She was appointed school principal in 1987, and has served in that role ever since. She also started the school’s children’s choir.
Carol Masiello. Masiello has worked as a substance abuse counselor at IS 125 in Woodside since 1977. She is currently president of the Kiwanis Club of Sunnyside, where she has established the first community-based Key club, which provides local high school students with the ability to fulfill their high-school community service hours. She is a board member of the Sunnyside Boys and Girls Club.
The event will be held from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at St. Raphael’s School gymnasium, 48-25 37th St., Long Island City. Admission is $60 for one, $100 per couple and includes food from Dazies, in Sunnyside. The deejay will be Dr. DJ.
For ticket information, call Mark Wilensky at (917) 670-5666.
