GENERALLY SPEAKING: Week of March 15

Ft. Hamilton H.S. graduate is new Miss New York USA

Fort Hamilton High School’s latest claim to fame is Bensonhurst beauty Johanna Sambucini

At the recent Miss New York USA Pageant in the SUNY Purchase Performing Arts Center, in Westchester County, Sambucini competed against over 100 young ladies for the coveted Empire State crown. The runners up were Sarah OteyJanae DesireNikole Churchill

Sambucini, plays the piano, is working on completing her master’s in business administration, speaks Spanish and Italian, is a model and loves physical fitness. She will be back on the runway and in the national spotlight when she competes for the Miss USA 2012 title on June 3, at the Planet Hollywood Casino in Las Vegas. This is the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageant organization sponsored by Donald Trump and NBC Universal.

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One of this paper’s Stars of Brooklyn, Jane Kelly current president and a member of the Lutheran Medical Center Auxiliary for nearly two decades, will be honored as a Volunteer of the Year by the United Hospital Fund of Greater New York, in the grand ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on Friday, March 16, from 1 to 3 p.m.

She will be joined by fellow LMC auxilian and honoree Patricia Baker. Kelly is a former president of the Bay Ridge Community Council; and legislative chair for the Bay Ridge AARP and the Bay Ridge Inter-agency Council on Aging.

Also being cited for their outstanding volunteerism and achievement are Paula Friedman and Judith Markowitz from Maimonides Medical Center. Virtual bouquets of roses to one and all. The award ceremonies will be emceed by Janice Huff

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The 74th annual Greek Independence Day Parade, sponsored by the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York will take place on Sunday, March 25, starting at 1:30 p.m., along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, from 64th to 79th Streets.

Senator Robert Menendez

Olga Motska has been crowned as Miss Greek Parade 2012. The parade chairs are Philip Christopher and Dr. Frixos GousisJohn Catsimatidis is the chair emeritus. The Hellenic Federation is headed by Elias Tsekerides and its honorary and former president is Bay Ridgeite Bill Stathakos.

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Bay Ridge’s 19th annual St. Patrick’s Parade will also be held on Sunday, March 25, kicking off at 1 p.m., from Marine Avenue and 4th Avenue, and moving along Fifth Avenue to 60th Street. I’m sure we will see the local mayoral contenders and other elected officials racing between the two Sunday Parades.

Look for Brooklyn Beep Marty Markowitz along with his senior aide Carlo Scissura handing out green bagels at the Brooklyn St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 18 in Park Slope, and then at Bay Ridge’s grand Irish march, on the 25th.

The grand marshal in Bay Ridge will be Monsignor Kevin NooneRosemarie CoulsonSteve KieranKevin Peter CarrollJohn KeeganSteve OliverPeter Tracy and Mary Ann Walsh. Frankie Marra is the new president of the parade committee and Linda Gallagher is the parade vice president. Once again, the reviewing stand will be located on 5th Avenue just off Bay Ridge Parkway.

Among the participating bands will be the New York City Fire Department’s Emerald Society Pipes and Drums which is celebrating its 50th anniversary; and the award-winning Fort Hamilton High School Marching Band which is on its way to Orlando, Florida to participate in the music and band competitions hosted by Walt Disney World.

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St. Patrick’s three Irish Tenors again gave a stellar performance at their recent annual St. Patrick’s Concert, in the Aldo Bruschi AuditoriumKiernan HamiltonJohn Heffernan and Donal Nolan — are graduates of St. Patrick’s School and were trained by the late great maestro Aldo Bruschi. Proceeds from the event went to the benefit of St. Patrick’s School.

During an acoustic set, Hamilton played a guitar and Nolan played a flute as Heffernan accompanied them on a round of old Irish ditties. Later Nolan sang a rousing rendition of “Danny Boy” that brought the house down! The program concluded with everyone singing “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling.”

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In keeping with the festive Irish heritage month, the Bay Ridge Historical Society will have as its guest speaker Mary Nolan

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