TN BID tours business district with NYPD
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,18 AUG. 13-19, 2021 BTR
Throggs Neck BID Executive
Director Bobby
Jean with the captain
of the NYPD’s 45th
Precinct stop along the
Throggs Neck commercial
corridor, while discussing
how to improve
the business district
and provide safety for
residents and patrons
of the district. Jaen
told the Bronx Times
that it was a constructive
meeting.
BY BRONX TIMES
The 2021 ALS Ice Bucket
Challenge took place Aug.1
trackside at Empire City Casino’s
Yonkers Raceway with
New York State Senate Majority
Leader Andrea Stewart-
Cousins; New York State Sen.
Shelley Mayer; Assemblyman
Gary Pretlow; Westchester
County Board of legislators
Chris Johnson and Damon
Maher; members of the Yonkers
City Council John Rubbo
and Tasha Diaz; Alexandra
Spano representing her father,
Yonkers Mayor Mike
Spano; family of late Yonkers
native Pat Quinn; and Empire
City Casino by MGM Resorts
executives to continue
Pat Quinn’s mission to raise
awareness of ALS and the
need for research funding to
fi nd a cure.
The annual event, cofounded
by Quinn after his diagnosis
of Amyotrophic Lateral
Sclerosis (ALS) in 2013,
became a global phenomenon
in 2014 as thousands of people
from around the world participated
in the challenge on social
media. This year at Empire
City Casino, more than
300 people doused themselves
in ice cold water.
“Empire City Casino is
proud to host the ALS Ice
Bucket Challenge this year
and be part of the continuing
legacy of ALS champion
Pat Quinn to generate awareness
of this debilitating disease
and the need for research
funding,” said Ed Domingo,
MGM Resorts Northeast
Group senior vice president
and CFO. “This is an incredible
community and to see
everyone come together in
support of the patients and
families battling ALS is very
moving. We continue to be
committed to supporting our
local community and hope to
be one step closer to fi nding a
cure.”
“Year after year, our city
continues to amaze me as I
witness the outpouring of
love and support for our fearless
leader, Pat Quinn, and
countless others who have
suffered from this terrible
disease,” Spano said. “Yonkers
will continue to support
the Ice Bucket Challenge and
promote the need for more research
to end ALS – we are
in this every August until a
cure!”
This year, John DeSio of
Staten Island attended the
event with a new connection
to the cause as his father was
recently diagnosed with the
debilitating disease at the age
of 70.
“ALS can affect families
at any times, and it is critical
that we all continue to work
for a cure,” DeSio said. “Quinn
for the Win and Empire City
Casino have both played a major
role in raising awareness of
this awful disease and helping
to fi nd a cure. I am honored to
have taken part in this year’s
Ice Bucket Challenge and to
have shown my support for
their ongoing mission. ALS
can take a devastating toll on
the people and families who
are dealing with this disease,
and it is wonderful to have organizations
such as Quinn for
the Win and Empire City Casino
to provide much needed
support for those who need it.”
Though Quinn passed away
from ALS in November 2020,
his drive and determination to
fi nd a cure continues through
his family, community and
beyond. Leading the ALS Ice
Bucket Challenge this year
was Quinn’s father, Patrick
Quinn Sr., who paid tribute to
his son and reiterated his determination
to continue his
son’s mission to provide support
for ALS patients and their
families, and to hold the ice
bucket challenge every year to
ensure the need for a cure remains
in focus. Quinn Sr. also
released a video encouraging
everyone to support the effort,
which can be viewed here.
Since 2015, Empire City
Casino has hosted the annual
challenge in support of Quinn
and ALS patients across the
globe to continue to generate
awareness of the debilitating
disease and the need for research
funding. The 2020 challenge
was not held due to the
pandemic. Each year, Empire
City Casino donates the space,
setup and staffi ng costs, as
well as more than 1,300 pounds
of ice.
For more information,
please visit YonkersNY.gov,
Quinn4theWin and Facebook.
com/QuinnForTheWin.
Empire City hold successful
Ice Bucket Challenge
/YonkersNY.gov