Community council holds 73rd Poster and Window Painting Contest

Since 1952, the Bay Ridge Community Council has hosted its annual highly regarded storefront window painting art contest for elementary, middle and high school students, and this year was no exception. The youthful artists received gold, silver or bronze medals for their efforts.

Former BRCC vice president, executive secretary and longtime program director Maria Makrinos has been coordinating this event for more than 25 years. Ralph Succar, president of the council, and Joanna Succar, board secretary, work closely with Markrinos to ensure a successful event.

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On Tuesday, Oct. 28, the NIA neighborhood civic organization sponsored its annual free Veterans Breakfast in the Community Club ballroom at Fort Hamilton. The event was jointly funded by State Sen. Andrew Gounardes and Councilman Justin Brannan. In the absence of Brannan, his chief of staff Christopher McCreight  and his public affairs director Charlene Batts coordinated the program along with Gounardes.

Among the veterans honored were Sam Cooper, William Casey, Carlos Quinones. Ronnie Cephas and Wallace Watson. Among key officials attending were U.S. Army veteran James Hendon, NYC Commissioner of Veterans’ Services and U.S. Coast Guard veteran Martin Maher, Brooklyn commissioner of the Dept. of Parks and Recreation.

During the program, Gounardes mentioned he had submitted U.S. Army veteran Nate Rogers to be added to the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame. In addition to this induction, Rogers was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009 as a member of Little Anthony and the Imperials. 

 

It’s always  nice to see the continuation of the legacy of this annual event, which was first established by former City Councilman and later State Sen. Marty Golden. Golden currently serves as vice president of the Fort Hamilton Citizens Action Committee.

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The Friends of New Utrecht recently held a slide presentation by guest speaker Norman Coben on American Revolution-related historic markers and signs around southern Brooklyn. Coben is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, and the sergeant-at-arms with the Brooklyn Battle Chapter of the SAR. This event was held in the Parish Hall of the Dutch Reformed Church on 18th Avenue and 84th Street

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We congratulate a long-time friend who we have covered at several local and boroughwide events, Rabbi Joseph Potasnik. He was just promoted to chief chaplain of the New York City Fire Department. Locally, Potasnik has often participated in 9/11 ceremonies on the American Veterans Memorial Pier in Bay Ridge.

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Being involved with the annual Children’s Ragamuffin Parade for so many years, we sometimes get asked, “Do you know who the original officers of Ragamuffin, Inc. were?” They included Cliff Scanlon, president; Edward McCaffery, 1st vice president; Solon B. Hanft, 2nd vice president; Ray McCory, treasurer; Kathy Reukauf, recording secretary, and Leila Strahl, corresponding secretary.