Flushing Skyview Center invites public to create
fl oral ‘love blossoms’ bouquet for Valentine’s Day
Spread love to veterans this Valentine’s Day
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | FEB. 11 - FEB. 17, 2022 19
BY JENNA BAGCAL
A Bayside lawmaker is
spreading the love to veterans
this Valentine’s Day.
Assemblyman Edward
Braunstein announced the return
of the Valentines for Vets
Gift Drive, a longstanding effort
where Queens residents
donate new clothing, candy
and other items to local veterans.
Donors are also welcome
to contribute red T-shirts for
the veterans who will be attending
a special Valentine’s
Day celebration.
All items will be given
to hospitalized and disabled
veterans at the St. Albans VA
Community Living Center
and the New York State Veterans’
Home at St. Albans.
“I am proud to sponsor
‘Valentines for Vets,’ a longstanding
Northeast Queens
tradition that shows thanks
and appreciation to our local
veterans,” said Assemblyman
Braunstein. “In the spirit of
Valentine’s Day, my office is
collecting donations of cards,
candy, playing cards and puzzles,
as well as new clothing
items such as pajamas, robes,
slippers, socks and festive red
T-shirts. Please contribute if
you are able and I thank you in
advance for your generosity.”
Braunstein adopted the gift
drive from lawyer and former
Assemblywoman Ann-Margaret
Carrozza, who started the
drive in college to show more
appreciation to veterans.
During the 2020 gift drive,
40 schools, civic organizations,
libraries, Girl Scout
troops and northeast Queens
residents donated thousands
of handwritten cards, candy,
new clothes, playing cards,
puzzles and toiletries for local
veterans.
Those interested in making
donations to the gift drive
can bring items to Assemblyman
Braunstein’s office at 213-
33 39th Ave., Suite 238.
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Roses are red, violets are
blue. Love is blossoming at
the Flushing Shops at Skyview.
This Valentine’s Day on
Feb. 14, the community is invited
to visit and curate their
own free “love blossoms” bouquet
by picking live flowers
from the shopping center’s
4-foot-tall floral interactive
heart sculpture.
Shoppers are sure to feel
the flower-power of love when
they present their colorful
free bouquet to loved ones.
The flower frenzy will be located
on Level 4 near Forever
21 and will be available while
supplies last.
“It’s important, now more
than ever, to spread positivity
and love to our community,”
said Rishika Mahtani, marketing
director for ShopCore
Properties, owners and managing
entity for The Shops at
Skyview. “This Valentine’s
Day, we invite our community
to visit the property and
create beautiful bouquets for
someone they love. Whether
it be a spouse, significant other,
parent or friend, we hope
these flowers bring a smile
to their face. We encourage
our visitors to share their
creations on social media
and tag The Shops at Skyview
@theshopsatskyviewny and
#LoveBlossoms.”
The Shops at Skyview is
a multilevel shopping destination
located in Flushing,
featuring a growing mix of
national retailers and local
favorites, including leading
brands such as Target, Uniqlo,
SkyFoods and Marshalls,
and local businesses like
Gong Cha and Royal Beauty.
The Shops at Skyview is
accented by an abundance of
signature events, family-centric
experiences, and so much
more. The shopping destination,
conveniently located
in Queens, features a mix of
premier national retail stores
for women’s, men’s and children’s
apparel, shoes, electronics,
home furnishings,
entertainment, cosmetics,
groceries and more.
For more information
about The Shops at Skyview,
visit theshopsatskyview.com
or follow Skyview’s social media
@theshopsatskyviewny.
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718) 260–
4526.
Photo courtesy of The Shops at Skyview
The Valentines for Vets Gift Drive in 2019. Courtesy of Ed Braunstein’s offi ce
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