New York City’s oldest American Independence Day Parade steps off on Saturday, June 27, at 12 noon. The patriotic celebration will turn upper 13th Avenue, from 71st to 86th Streets, into a starry boulevard of red, white and blue, as the Long Island Assembly of the Knights of Columbus launches Brooklyn’s 110th American Independence Day Parade.
The stars and stripes celebration will be hailing the 239th birthday of our great nation and saluting our armed services, veterans and fallen heroes. This year’s grand marshal is U.S. Army Korean War veteran John “Moe” Maloney. Here’s your chance to come out and cheer for the good old U.S.A.!
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Congratulations to Vincent LeVien, external affairs director for the Brooklyn Catholic Diocese’s DeSales Media Group, who was inducted by New York State Supreme Court Justice Robert Miller as the new president of the Brooklyn Cathedral Club. The elite charitable Catholic lay organization, which was founded back in 1900, has Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio as its spiritual director.
Other officers include Mark Cipolla, vice president; Antonio Biondi, treasurer; Marianne Bertuna, recording secretary; and Patricia DiMango, financial secretary. The inaugural ceremonies took place at Gargiulo’s in Coney Island. Program emcee was immediate past President Christopher Hannan, and Monsignor Kieran Harrington gave the Invocation.
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The Bay Ridge Historical Society has a new President, Thomas A. McCarthy who was unanimous elected with fellow officers Jerome Hoffman, first vice president; David Farley, second vice president; Peter Scarpa, treasurer; and Charles Caloia, secretary.
McCarthy was one of the deputy grand marshals in the 2015 Bay Ridge St. Patrick’s Day Parade, is a past president of the Brooklyn Cathedral Club, and a vice president at Chase Bank. Hoffman, an attorney, is the author of the Bay Ridge Chronicles and one of the founders of the BRHS. Farley is a professor at St. John’s University; Scarpa is a past president of the BRHS and has authored four books; and Caloia, a graduate of Xaverian High School, interned with the society and is currently attending college. The immediate past president of the society is Andrew Gounardes, the general counsel for Brooklyn Beep Eric Adams.
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Former Brooklyn Beep Marty Markowitz, a veep now beating the bushes for the city’s big-time tourist organization, NYC & Co., returns to Bay Ridge this coming Sunday to help celebrate the Society of Old Brooklynites’ 140th anniversary at its luncheon bash at the Bay Ridge Manor. Also adding to the festivities will be current Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. The program is being hosted by former New York City Commissioner Myrtle Whitmore. George Broadhead is the society president. Members of the general public are welcome to attend. Tickets are only $50 and are available at the door. For more info, call 718-748-3165.
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