School seeks sponsors for walk
Parents and officials from the Garden School in Jackson Heights are seeking sponsors and donations for giveaway bags to be handed out during the Tenth Annual Walk-A-Thon. The event is scheduled for Tuesday May 13, and organizers said that the walk is one of the largest and most important fundraisers of the year.
Each child and parent walks through the community, alongside a police escort, and an assembly follows where prizes donated to the Walk-A-Thon are raffled off. The day ends with a “Make Your Own Ice Cream Sundae” table for all.
Organizers are requesting products like samples, promotional items, snacks, water, pencils, key chains for the goodie bags. In addition, the event includes a raffle, and school officials are seeking raffle prizes, like gift certificates, gift baskets, sporting event tickets, T-shirts, memorabilia, autographed items, concert tickets, CDs, and hats to giveaway.
Past events have provided funding for the Garden School’s library, the refurbishing of the science lab and the re-pavement of the playground/sports area.
Anyone who would like to support the event is asked to contact the Garden School, either by phone at 718-335-6363 or through email at pta@gardenschool.org. All donations are tax deductible.
Community outreach in Corona
On Monday, April 21, the 115th Precinct will be conducting a community outreach event at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, located at 104-11 37th Avenue in Corona. The event will be held from 6 to 9 p.m., and those who attend will have the opportunity to meet Deputy Inspector John Lavelle, the 115th Precinct’s Commanding Officer.
Information will be available about resources for domestic violence victims, crime prevention strategies, the Community Affairs officers, the Community Council, the Auxiliary Unit, and the position of 115th Precinct beat officer. In addition, police officers will speak about gangs and graffiti, recruitment, youth officers and the Explorer Post 3115.
Representatives from Health Plus Health Insurance are expected to attend. For more information, call the 115th Precinct at 718-533-2002.
Glendale school turns 100
Saint Pancras School in Glendale will hold a fundraising golf outing next month to raise money for educational programs. The outing will be held on Monday, May 19 at Forest Park Golf Course, and this year’s event and all ensuing ones will be held in memory of a child, John Palmato Jr., in the parish who died from leukemia in 2005.
Over the past five years, St. Pancras has been able to raise over $57,500 from donations, and this year will mark the school’s 100th anniversary.
Golf outing organizers requested that those interested in attending, assisting or sponsoring the event call 917-951-4523, email spsgolfouting@aol.com or visit www.saintpancrasgolfouting.com. All checks should be made payable to Saint Pancras School and mailed to Attention SPS Golf Outing, 68-20 Myrtle Avenue, Glendale NY 11385.
Cell tower meeting postponed
The Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA), which was scheduled to hold a hearing about a proposed cell phone tower in Maspeth on Tuesday, April 15, has postponed the meeting until Tuesday, June 17.
The BSA had met with community residents and representatives from T-mobile in January, and the agency had asked that the phone company gather more information about their proposal. In addition, the BSA questioned whether there were any other suitable locations. T-mobile - and parent company Omnipoint Communications, Inc. - had submitted a plan for a “flagpole style” transmitter at 53-20 72nd Place. The three-foot-wide, 27-foot cell phone tower would rise 56 feet high - about five stories in total - and be placed within pole holding an American flag.
Local residents and elected officials blasted the proposal, saying that it was out of character with the neighborhood and that the cell phone service was already strong in the area - negating the need for a new tower. In addition, several residents expressed worry about the potential, long-term health effects for children living in proximity to the tower. However, T-mobile, when it presented the plan to Community Board 5, said that the device complied with federal limitations.
For more information about the upcoming hearing, visit www.nyc.gov/bsa.
Play ball!
The Mets aren’t the only ones celebrating opening day in Queens this spring - the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation (DOPR) has been working around the clock to prepare the city’s more than 800 athletic fields for their openings as well.
Baseball fields officially opened on Saturday, April 12. For those who like their bats flat instead of round, cricket fields opened the same day.
DOPR tennis courts have been opened since Tuesday, April 1.
For those who’ve been waiting for lawn bowling or croquet, the long winter of your discontent will end when those fields open, on Saturday, April 26.
“Spring has finally sprung and it’s time to play ball on new and freshly prepared fields all around the city,” said DOPR Commissioner Adrian Benepe. “With the opening of ball fields this weekend, New Yorkers can play soccer, football, cricket, tennis and much more,” he said.
DOPR reminds New Yorkers that it is as easy as ever to apply online for a ball field permit at www.nyc.gov/parks. Fields cost $8 per hour and $16 per hour for lighted games.
As always, children under the age of 18 play free and New Yorkers are invited to play pick-up games when the fields are not being used by permitted groups.
To learn more about fields in your neighborhood, contact the Queens borough permit office at 718-393-7272.
Flushing free Flea Market
Flushing House, located at 38-20 Bowne Street in Flushing is holding a Free-admission Flea Market on Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
A wide variety of goods, including: jewelry; arts and crafts; new and gently used clothing; collectables and “white elephants” will be available in the large game room on the first floor. Refreshments will be on sale.
The phone number at Flushing House is 718-762-3198. Built in 1974, it was one of the first not-for-profit retirement residences to combine independent living with supportive services right on the premises.
For vendor information, call recreation director Lisa Hoxie at 347-532-3010.
Defensive driving course
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Church in Bayside is concerned about the hardship and grief resulting from automobile accidents.
In the hope that the teaching of safe driving techniques will help, they are hosting a defensive driving course, sponsored by the National Safety Council, on Saturday, May 3, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The fee is $45.
Completion of such courses results in a mandatory reduction in auto insurance premium and point reduction on driver’s license.
The church is located at 34-24 203rd Street in Bayside. For more information or to register, call 718-229-5929.
Walking tall
Now that the weather is warmer and the trees are getting green, the folks at the Queens Community House it’s a good idea for people to get out and walk more.
That’s why they’ve form a walking club that meets in Kew Gardens on Thursdays, at 11 a.m.
The Queens Community House is located at 80-02 Kew Gardens Road, in Suite 202. Come to the lounge on Thursdays, and get into shape.
Free platinum tour
On Saturdays at noon, visitors to the Queens Botanical Garden can get a free tour of the Platinum-award-winning “green building” which houses their Visitor and Administration Center.
As the most advanced eco-friendly building in the City of New York, it has drawn architects and designers from as far away as China to see its green roof, geothermal heating and cooling system and clever water handling.
Lucky Queens residents only have to travel to 43-30 Main Street in Flushing to see this engineering wonder, and enjoy the wonders of nature, now that so many of the plants are in bloom.
Now that the old headquarters has been removed, strollers can get the full impact of the garden’s central “boulevard,” Oak All/e, which now connects directly to the gate at 43-50 Main Street in Flushing.
Visit their website at www.queensbotanical.org for more information.
