The Verrazano Rotary Club will hold its 48th Anniversary Dinner Dance Gala at the El Caribe Country Club, 5945 Strickland Ave., on Friday, May 29. They will honor John Abi-Habib with the Lifetime of Community Service Award and Ilene Sacco with the Community Service Award.
Abi-Habib is a member of several civic organizations including the Salaam Club Foundation, is founder and president of MSI Net, Inc., and also serves as the Honorary Consul of Lebanon. In 2012 he was named Ragamuffin “Man of the Year” by the Ragamuffin Parade Committee.
Sacco has served for many years as president of the NYPD 68th Precinct Community Council, is a former president of the Bay Ridge Community Council (2003-2004), and a board member of the Dyker Heights Association. She is an attorney with the NYS Office of People with Developmental Disabilities and a past coordinator of Bay Ridge Third Avenue summer strolls.
The VRC was chartered on April 7, 1978 and is one of more than 30,000 Rotary Clubs within 160 nations. Larry Forte is the current president of the VRC.
Tickets for gala are $250 each and tables of 10 cost $2,500. For reservations, call 646-894-0791 or email [email protected]
***
It was a relatively short season to view fully blooming cherry and apple blossom trees. Most of these perennial trees are only showing greenery now. However, during our recent photo rounds we still managed to get some nice snaps. Hopefully, the winter-like chills are over and you can start spring plantings or stop by a local flower shop. If you do, don’t forget Bay Ridge’s official flower, the hydrangea, so designated on Aug. 22, 2006 by then-Borough President Marty Markowitz.


Eagle Urban Media/photos by Ted General
***
Wonder what’s been happening with Justin Brannan lately? In the recent edition of City and State NY Magazine, the former city councilman and defeated Democrat candidate for city comptroller had landed in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration as the senior director of major events operations.
***
At his State of the Borough presentation, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso announced he has appointed a new borough historian, Asad Dandia. He prefaced his remarks by thanking longtime Borough Historian Ron Schweiger for his 25 years of service and named him borough historian emeritus. He said Dandia is a born-and-raised Brooklynite, the son of Pakistani immigrants, and a community organizer. We learned later he is also a close supporter of Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Eagle Urban Media/file photo

Photo courtesy of Facebook
Fort Hamilton welcomes its new Hall of Famers
Bonnies honor seniors and head to playoffs