FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • THE QUEENS COURIER 23
Businesses voted ‘Best of the Boro’
celebrate their big win in Howard Beach
BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI
smonteverdi@qns.com / @smont76
Hundreds headed to Howard Beach on
Th ursday for a night of networking, food
and fun to celebrate this year’s businesses
voted the best in the “World’s Borough.”
Russo’s on the Bay was the site of the
2018 Bethpage Best of the Boro winners
party on Jan. 25, where winning business
owners and their friends and families
enjoyed a celebratory evening of dinner,
dancing and mingling. Now in its
sixth year, the Best of the Boro program is
a coveted award reserved for Queens’ best
businesses as determined by the public.
“You are all the core of the community,”
Schneps Communications Co-Publisher
Victoria Schneps told attendees. “We love
to hear about the great things that you’re
doing.”
Th e program is now sponsored by
Bethpage Federal Credit Union — the
largest credit union in the northeast —
which off ers the community a full range
of banking products including checking,
savings, credit cards, mortgages and
loans.
“We have been sponsoring the Best
of the Boro the last two years and we
have seen the program grow,” said Cania
Infante from Bethpage Federal Credit
Union. “Every year we see a lot more people
in the room, so we’re really proud to
be a part of it.”
QNS spoke with some of the winners at
the event about the signifi cance of winning
“Best of the Boro.”
David Fuggetta, a doctor at Rockwood
Park Chiropractor in Howard Beach, said
this year’s contest brought the fi rst nomination
and win for the business, which
won in the Health and Wellness Category.
“We have excellent staff and we treat
every patient as if they are a family member,”
Fuggeta said. “We hope to serve
even more health-conscious people and
people seeking alternative medicines and
natural solutions.”
Ramona Ciobanu, who serves as the
educational director at Soccer Kids NYC,
said the business has won “Best Soccer
Club” for the second year in a row.
“It’s very rewarding to see the progress
of the kids and the program has
been doing phenomenally,” she said. “Th e
quality of work we provide sets us apart.
Th e kids love the program, and the families
love it, too.”
Bayside-based Architects Rule, PC won
“Best Architect” for the second year in a
row, according to business owner Paul
Athineos.
“We use a lot of social media and when
people visit our page, they see Best of the
Boro and they recognize that,” he said.
“It generates talk and interest.”
Hundreds of Bethpage Best of the Boro
awards were issued in categories including
Bars & Nightlife, Home & Garden,
Shopping and Services. See the full list of
winners by visiting the Best of the Boro
website. Photos by Josef Pinlac