BY ECLEEN CARABALLO
The carnival is making its way to one Astoria restaurant and bar.
Katch Astoria, located at 31-19 Newtown Ave., will host a Carnival Party on Friday including a fortune teller, performer from Coney Island, magician and a chance to dunk former Councilman Peter Vallone Jr.
Vallone, a frequent visitor to Katch, and notable figure in Queens for having represented Astoria from 2002 to 2013, seemed like the obvious choice for the dunk tank, according to Simka Griffin, a manager at Katch.
Yet, Vallone admits that when they asked whether he wanted to be dunked on a chilly Friday night he initially said no. Then, they mentioned the proceeds will go to the charity of his choice, and he said “OK, let’s do this then.”
Vallone chose SHAREing & CAREing, a nonprofit organization started in 1994 when four breast cancer survivors sought to provide cancer support services to men and women of all ages, as the charity.
Kellyann Tobin, a registered nurse and member of the organization, said Vallone and his family have been long-time supporters, and she will be at the event to support him.
Vallone has raised money for the organization in the past; specifically, as Grand Marshall of New York City Harley Owners Group (NYC HOG) Bikers – a riding club which the Vallone family has been a part of for many years, who raised $20,000 for SHAREing & CAREing last summer.
“Based on the debates I get into on my Facebook page,” Vallone said, “the line of people who want to dunk me might rival the line for the iPhone 6.”
Yet, Griffin said she thinks people will come to the dunking because of the meaning behind it.
“He is putting himself out there saying ‘I care about something, I want to show my support for it’ and I think that actually means a lot to people to see someone like him getting up and saying ‘sure you know, ill have a good laugh at myself,” she said.
The Carnival Party will be on Friday starting at 8 p.m. at Katch Astoria.
For more information, visit katchastoria.com or shareingandcareing.catseyedevelopment.com.
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