WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES AUGUST 16, 2018 27
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Kiwanis clubs host fundraiser for ailing members
BY RYAN KELLEY
RKELLEY@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
TWITTER @R_KELLEY6
The Kiwanis Club of Glendale and
the Kiwanis Club of Ridgewood,
NY 3-2-1 are teaming to host an
end-of-summer party to raise money
for two member families that have
been aff ected by recent tragedies.
The “End of Summer Bash” will take
place in the auditorium of St. Pancras
Church in Glendale on Saturday, Sept.
15, at 7 p.m. featuring live music from
local band Risky Business, door prizes
and prize baskets, as well as $50 and
$100 prize grids.
The proceeds from the event will be
split between the families of Samantha
Aiello and Dave Fitzgerald, who were
both recently struck by affl ictions
that took a toll on both clubs and their
families.
Aiello, whose father Joe Aiello is a
longtime member and past president
of the Glendale club, was involved
in a severe car accident in July. She
suff ered facial injuries, loss of hearing,
bruised ribs and bleeding in the
brain during the accident and has a
long road to recovery, according to
current club president Kerrie Hansen.
Aiello is an adjunct math and computer
sciences professor at Queensborough
Community College and an emergency
department technician at St. Joseph’s
Hospital in Bethpage.
Fitzgerald is also a very active and
longtime member of the Glendale club,
and his wife Elizabeth is the fi rst president
of the newly reformed Ridgewood
club. A few days aft er Aiello’s accident,
Fitzgerald suff ered a major stroke that
sent him to the intensive care unit at
Lenox Hill Hospital for several days.
Fitzgerald has now been transferred
to the stroke unit and has begun physical
and occupational therapy, but his
road to recovery is a long one as well,
Hansen said.
The fundraiser was already planned
before these hard times fell upon the
clubs, and it was a unanimous decision
to turn it into a benefi t for these families,
Hansen said.
“We’re all devastated, these two individuals,
Joe and Dave, are very active
and have been members for a long
time and it just hit home really hard,”
Hansen said. “The fact that we can help
in any way to show support is helping
us get through, and the families are
greatly appreciative of all the support
and well wishes.”
Tickets for the fundraiser cost $30
per person and include sandwiches,
hot dogs, soda and water, but guests
are also allowed to bring their own
beverages. Prizes for the various
drawings will include a fl at screen
television, gift certifi cates to many
local businesses and restaurants and
much more.
Those interested in purchasing
tickets in advance should contact Hank
Kraker at 718-386-7302, J.R. Velepec
at 917-270-5829, or Bill Rennison at
347-891-2835.
Photos courtesy of Kiwanis Club of Glendale
Samantha Aiello (left) and Dave Fitzgerald (right) are both recovering
from tragedies that left them in poor health.
Donate blood at your local precinct next month
BY RYAN KELLEY
RKELLEY@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
TWITTER @R_KELLEY6
In the midst of an emergency blood
shortage, the New York Police
Department and New York Blood
Center (NYBC) are coming together to
host several blood drives next month.
From Sept. 4 to 6, the precincts of
NYPD Patrol Borough Queens North
will each host an NYBC blood drive
for their respective communities in an
attempt to combat the shortage. Each
drive will take place from noon to 6
p.m. at the following locations:
TUESDAY, SEPT. 4
• 104th Precinct: 64-02 Catalpa Ave.,
Ridgewood
• 108th Precinct: 5-47 50th Ave., Long
Island City
• 109th Precinct: 37-05 Union St.,
Flushing
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 5
• 111th Precinct: 45-06 215th St.,
Bayside
THURSDAY, SEPT.6
• 112th Precinct: 68-40 Austin St.,
Forest Hills
• 115th Precinct: 92-15 Northern Blvd.,
Jackson Heights
All possible donors are encouraged
to come to any of the
locations and must bring a donor
identification card or an ID with
a signature or photo on it. Donors
must be ages 17 to 75, weigh
at least 110 pounds, eat well and
drink fluids before donating, and
cannot have gotten a tattoo during
the past 12 months.
A blood donation from one person
can save up to three lives, according
to the NYBC.
In June, the NYBC declared a blood
emergency in the New York area,
explaining that the organization’s
supplies had dipped below its
seven-day minimum supply of all
blood types. Having a shortage in
the summer months is particularly
dangerous because people are less
likely to donate due to school being
out and families going on vacation,
according to a press release.
“Every single day, blood donations
help save lives – and right now,
the need is critical,” said Andrea
Cefarelli, senior executive director
of donor recruitment for New
York Blood Center. “We’re calling
on everyone to do what they can to
spread the word, host a blood drive
or simply take an hour out of their
day to donate.”
In July, the American Red Cross
also declared an emergency blood
shortage after the week of July 4
resulted in 550 fewer blood drives
around the nation than in a normal
week, according to a press release.
That could result in as many as
15,000 fewer donations than needed.
The Red Cross added that the
need is especially critical for type O
blood, which is the most in-demand
blood type and oft en the fi rst to be depleted
from hospital shelves during a
shortage.
Photo via Shutterstock
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