FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM DECEMBER 13, 2018 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 81
A bittersweet season
and other
for her
had
ce
.
She used her husband local leaders as models portraits — the pope a huge smile on his face
when he received them.
When Serf was head
of the Conservative
Party of New York,
he hosted the late
President George
H.W. Bush, and Connie
created a portrait of the president. Copies were as
e
nie
41st
given as
to donors
he din
gifts at the dinner.
My friend
Todd Shapiro
had his autographed
by
P r e s i d e n t
Bush that he
cherishes to
this day.
I have to
smile when
I think of
Connie and I
Connie as a Calendar Girl
performing at a benefit for the
Queens Theatre in the Park, posing
as “Calendar Girls” before a
packed house. Such sweet memories!
All who knew her will miss
Connie’s wit, wisdom, talents,
charm and beauty; we cherished
her friendship and love. I send
my deepest sympathy to her
family, including Serf and their
children and grandchildren.
But life goes on, and in the
same week, I was happy to
The Mattones celebrate at the
Columbus Club
attend a fundraising luncheon
honoring Geraldo Rivera by the
remarkable De La Salle School in
Freeport, Long Island. The middle
school offers scholarships to
70 boys from families hovering
around the poverty line. They
are taught skills that enables the
graduates to go on to high school
and college. A large proportion
of De La Salle students graduate
college.
Dressed in baby blue shirts
and black pants, the De La Salle
students greeted the guests with
a strong handshake and direct
eye contact.
Geraldo, who grew up in West
Babylon, eloquently shared stories
of his childhood years and
the struggle to stay focused and
achieve. He won an Emmy for
his coverage of the horrific conditions
at Willowbrook State
School on Staten Island that ultimately
closed. It was in large part
to his persistent, passionate and
compelling news coverage.
Geraldo shared stories about
the many other battles he’s covered
over the years, but the main
focus of his talk was to thank
the donors and volunteers who
show acts of kindness to the boys
with their financial and volunteer
support. The packed dining
room at the Engineers Country
Club in Roslyn gave him a standing
ovation.
Acts of kindness seem to be
in the blood of dear friends
Mary Ann and Joe Mattone.
Last week, Mary Ann led Bishop
Nicholas
cheon
Nicholas DiMarzio’s luncheon
at Russo’s on the Bay.
Hun
to
Hundreds of guests helped
to raise money for the
p
parishes in Queens and
Brooklyn.
Her energy and
goodwill created an
environment of giving.
e
on of
ation,
cause
sup
Frank and Joyce
Seddio renewing
their vows
Monsignor Jamie
Gigantiello was on
hand on behalf Futures in Education,another great cause
that the Mattones support.
What’s better than
a great time with wonderful
to give back?
Then I laughed and cried as
Joyce and Frank Seddio renewed
their vows with great love and
class. Joyce looked like a movie
star and Frank glowed looking
Bernard Graham and George
Silver, led the ceremony with
wit and wisdom. It was a night
to remember!
Finally, I was happy to
attend the traditional Yuletide
Ball benefiting the Brooklyn
Kindergarten Society based in
Brooklyn Heights. Peter Meyer,
president of the New York City
Market for TD Bank, led the dinner/
Peter Meyer and Denise
Arbesu at the Yuletide
Ball
Joseph and Mary Ann Mattone with Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio and Monsignor
Jamie Gigantiello
Geraldo Rivera (center) with Michael Moriarty (far left), William Gault (far
right) and the boys of the De La Salle School
DYNAMIC DENTAL WORK
���������������� Dr. Adam Lublin is an Elite Top 1% Preferred Provider
VICTORIA’S
SECRETS
ETS
Victoria
SCHNEPSYUNIS
vschneps@gmail.com
tweet me @vschneps
m
The past week was stunningly
spectacular, filled
with very joyous events.
I met these extraordinary boys
from The De La Salle School,
which honored Geraldo Rivera.
Then, I celebrated the wedding
anniversar y
of Frank and
Joyce Seddio,
enjoyed the
Mattone family’s
holiday
party
and finally
attended the
Yuletide Ball
in Brooklyn
hosted by TD
Bank’s New
York division
president, Peter Meyer.
But that joy was mixed with
sadness after hearing of the
loss of Connie Maltese, the
renowned portrait artist and
beloved wife of former state
Senator Serphin Maltese.
I was so blessed to have traveled
with Connie and Serf to
Rome and visit with Pope John
Paul II, who received one of
Connie’s masterful works of art:
a plate series she had created of
the great explorers of our world.
people and an opportunity
into her eyes as two judges,
dance to raise money
educate children in
to educa
need.
It feels so good
to
wh
in
t
to know that,
while spending
cherished
time together
with friends,
a great cause
is benefitting
by the many
acts of kindness
provided
by those in
n
e
att
If
of a
Kindn
send t
attendance.
If you know
of any Acts of
Kindness, please
send them to me by
emailing vschneps@
gmail.com.
������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
link
