14 The Courier sun • december 18, 2014 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com Holiday street lights return to St. Albans BY SALVATORE LICATA [email protected]/@Sal_Licata1 It’s been 16 years since Linden Boulevard in St. Albans has been lit up with decorations for the holiday season, but thanks to a group of community activists, the festive lights are back. “We fought really hard to get these back,” said Allen Poe, president of the St. Albans Chamber of Commerce. “The chamber was determined to get the lights back up and make Linden Boulevard an attraction for consumers.” The chamber was instrumental in getting the lights up along the shopping corridor. Members went from door to door through the business strip asking for donations to pay for the decorations and were able to raise enough for the project. The lights run for a stretch of about one and a half miles from Linden Boulevard and Francis Lewis Boulevard to the VA Hospital, located at 179-00 Linden Blvd. “We hope to put the lights up every year from now on,” Poe said. “This is only part of our plan to make the community a better place to live and work.” Poe was not sure why the lights stopped going up after 1998. He did mention that they are not cheap to get done and that he is still looking for more contributions to be able to pay the second portion of the bill, which will be due when the lights come down in mid-January. “They’re fantastic,” said Thasia Chin, a real estate broker. “It’s very festive and makes the businesses Members of the St. Albans Chamber of Commerce. and the boulevard very noticeable.” Poe and other members of the chamber hope that next year the lights will be brighter and that they will be able to expand them throughout more of the neighborhood. Members of the chamber honored THE COURIER/Photo by Salvatore Licata Poe with kind words about his dedication to the community. “I admire Allen,” said Winnie Benjamin, a member of the chamber. “He told me he was going to get these lights up this year and look, now they’re up.” NYFAC spreads holiday cheer for hundreds of kids Photo courtesy of NYFAC Santa (state Sen. Joseph Addabbo) and Mrs. Claus (NYFAC’s own Anita Sessa) with the Girl Scouts, who served as the elves. BY SALVATORE LICATA [email protected] @Sal_Licata1 New York Families for Autistic Children (NYFAC) made the Christmas season bright for about 100 children on Dec. 14 thanks to generous donations from the community and volunteers. The first annual NYFAC Holiday Party was a huge success, topped off with a visitor from the North Pole who met all the children in attendance. The party took place at P.S. 232 in Howard Beach. Over 30 vendors generously donated food. Music was provided by MusicFlex and Karaoke by Request Entertainment, and there was also a magic show among other entertainments. Volunteers included members of the 106th Precinct, the Girl Scouts of America and the Chi Iota Omega sorority of Brooklyn College. Also helping to celebrate were Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder and state Sen. Joe Addabbo, who dressed as the day’s special guest, Santa Claus. Over 250 people attended the party, showing strong community support and helping to make the season bright for the children of NYFAC as each one was able to leave with a present. “The community truly came together for the children,” said NYFAC President & CEO Andrew Baumann. “And that’s what this is all about. The day’s festivities truly captured the spirit of the season.”
SC12182014
To see the actual publication please follow the link above