Eats, Auction and Honorees
Business leaders, community advocates, elected officials and local food lovers all stuffed their faces with savory and sweet selections from Queens, at the Taste of Ridgewood event last Thursday, Apr. 24 to support the many programs at the Ridgewood YMCA
The second-annual event also served to award YMCA honorees for their leadership in the community as City Council Member Liz Crowley, P.S. 306 principal Lynn Botfeld and founder of the Ridgewood Local Development Corporation Herman Hochberg were presented with certificates for their efforts.
“You have great programs here at the YMCA,” Crowley said upon receiving the award. “Many of the people that serve to keep this place doing such great stuff live in the community.”
“I really want to thank you all and reiterate the importance of YMCA programs to this community,” the legislator added. “It’s a pleasure to work with you and thanks for working to raise money for these programs that assist so many families.”
Executive Director of the Ridgewood YMCA, Lakeisha Harris praised Crowley for her support of the facilities programs through discretionary funds.
“She has been a big supporter of the Y for a very long time,” Harris said, and added she was honored “because she has always been a champion of ours.”
On the main floor at the event last Thursday were a selection of savory and sweet items from local eateries including Glendale’s Avenue Bar and Grill and Ridgewood’s Rudy’s Pastry and Bella Lena, while upstairs a silent auction with items donated by local businesses were auctioned off.
Among the auction items bidders could vie for were several wine and dine gift baskets, a signed Amar’e Stoudemire Knicks jersey with a pair of sneakers autographed by Carmelo Anthony and handbags from Michel Kors and Coach.
Ambre Abraham, administrative assistant for the Ridgewood YMCA said she feels food is a great way to get people to the event because of it’s unifying power.
“This event is about the diversity of our community,” Abraham said. “Food is a universal language, like music that everyone can take part in.”
The ideas for which eateries to invite came from members and through word of mouth, according to Harris and Abraham-and there were plenty of empty plates, finger licking and praise for all the food.
“People had great stuff to say about all the restaurants,” Harris said. But to her the event was about more than having a good time.
The purpose is “spreading the word the YMCA is here and that we give back to our community through our annual campaign and this event helps us do that,” Harris said.
Donations to the YMCA go to support various programs in the community, including a diabetes prevention program and group Zumba exercise at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center.
Donations also go to support two YMCA funded after-school programs, one at Grover Cleveland High School and another at Botfeld’s P.S. 305.
At the event the facility raised funds to support the day camp, provide low-cost memberships for families to workout and provide for their onsite pre-k and nursery programs.
The Ridgewood YMCA also runs a summer day camp that allows reduced fees for kids needing financial assistance to attend.
“A lot of families apply for financial support and the proceeds go to support these programs,” Harris said.
The day camp runs from June 30 through Aug. 22 and includes swimming two times a week, field trips around the city and a service learning experience.
Harris was thankful for the support of the facility and its many programs.
“The overall goal is to thank community leaders and expose people that have never been to the Y before,” she said.
“We also run a whole bunch of free programs and the annual campaign allows us to make that happen,” she added.
Queens epicure Meg Cotner also attended the event to support the local food scene and sign copies of her book her book. She wrote “The Food Lovers Guide to Queens,” and founded the “I Heart Astoria” website.
At the event, over 10 restaurants and caterers from Queens showed off the diversity of New York City’s most ethnically diverse borough.
“Close to 150 people came,” Harris said. “We are each year trying to make it better and better,” she added. “There was a great turnout.”
The Ridgewood YMCA has 1300 active members and serves between 3,000 to 5,000 people with various programs throughout the year, according to Harris.
“The majority of people that attend our events and support these programs live in the immediate area,” Harris said.
