On Saturday January 7, Monsignor Denis Herron, Pastor of St. Teresa's Church in Woodside, chose to have his farewell mass on the Feast of the Epiphany. The church overflowed as a procession that included the pastor, Msgr. Perfecto Vazquez, Fr. Darrell DaCosta, the Parish Council, choir members and for the feast day, the three kings. The bilingual service included beautiful singing and performances, and Msgr. Herron's farewell sermon was moving and humble. After the service, all were invited to the parish hall for supper and a chance to say goodbye personally. The mass was not typical but more like a family affair which included elected officials and community leaders who came to pay their respects after 12 years with Msgr. Herron. Herron is retiring, and going directly to the Vatican on a sabbatical and where he will learn of his eventual assignment for a retirement post.

(by Luke Adams)  As we begin a New Year together, before the Academy or the Emmy Awards, I have taken upon myself to give out the Sunnyside Angel Awards for 2011!  

As a long-time community member and one of the longest members of the Chamber, I know that a great many people help others throughout the year and I want to mention a few of them for their community love and spirit, hard work, and all around good care of Sunnyside. 

In the lifetime achievement category, two businesspeople who put their money and their hearts into the neighborhood are Board members Lily Gavin, left above, and Andrew Breslin, above right. I have had the honor of knowing Lily almost since I arrived in this neighborhood many years ago. Lily had a humble beginning as a mother raising her family working as a waitress and turned a restaurant called Mazie’s into an an iconic restaurant called Dazie’s Restaurant that brings people to Sunnyside. I met Andy Breslin as a young man when I was Chamber President and he was opening a restaurant on Queens Boulevard called Sidetracks. Andy was young, honest, hard working and ambitious, and wanted his restaurant to not only be successful but be part of this great neighborhood. God Bless you both. You have helped to make Sunnyside and Woodside a better place to live and work. Four years ago Board member Ramiro Mendez of deMole Restaurant, above far left, suggested the Chamber run a Taste of Sunnyside similar to the one he participated in Manhattan where money went to benefit a local school. Now Sunnyside/Woodside has had two successful "Tastes" where our great restaurants were showcased. On both, we partnered with Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District, and their representative, the hardworking James Bray.

Chamber of Commerce president, our dedicated leader Rebecca Barker of Metlife, above far right, spearheaded our participation in Taste of Sunnyside 2, and worked with Board members Patricia Dorfman, second from left, Ramiro, Tim Chen of Quaint Restaurant, second from right, and Chamber Treasurer Rigoberto Cardoso of Pronto Limousine & Car Service, above center, to pull off a magnificent event, this year in the ballroom at Sunnyside Community Services, courtesy of Judith Zangwill. The event had to have two identical sessions to accommodate the crowds!

Artist Patricia Dorfman founded Sunnysideartists.org in 2007, continues as Executive Director, and each year the free admission shows get bigger and better. President Rebecca Barker is also President of Sunnysideartists.org, and brings her considerable networking abilities to assist local artists. Everyone who come to the shows is always amazed at the caliber of work by Sunnyside and Woodside artists. Two shows are upcoming in June 2012. The "Patron of the Arts Cafe," always a fixture of the Sunnysideartists fair in June, features our best local restaurants, who work together to support the artists to provide a gourmet lunch for for very little money to visitors. Pastor Brian Dowd of Queens of Angels Church provides the space for the non-juried fair, and attendance has gone from 75 to 950. Always helping constantly behind the scenes in every local arts or Chamber event is again Rigoberto Cardoso.

Chamber member Sofia Landon Geier works tirelessly as Executive Director and also performs creative roles for Unity Stage Company, which she founded in 2009, to bring amazing theater as well as drama education to our village, most recently with December shows which delighted all and sold out at all performances. Photo above left shows the production of "Spreading the News," with free admission to the public at Sunnyside Gardens Park. Photo above right is from the award-winning  Thalia Spanish Theatre, also Chamber members, which attracts serious theatergoers from from far and wide to their truly excellent dance, music and theatrical events. Sunnysideartists.org, Unity Stage Company and Thalia Spanish Theatre are also proud participants in Queens Art Express.  In 2011, LaGuardia Performing Arts Center joined the Chamber and Sunnysiders are being wowed with high end performances without the trip into "the outer borough."

Take a bow, all of the above, for a job well done. The community is a lot stronger for all the caring and knowing how to work together! We are blessed to have you angels make Sunnyside a heavenly place to live and work!

On Wednesday, December 28, the Sunnyside-Woodside Lions Club, strong members of our Chamber (in fact, more then 50% of the Lions Membership also belong to our Chamber), celebrated Christmas, Hanukah and New Year's all at once at their holiday party! The setting was the lively newly-renamed "43," formerly Bar 43, which is run by proprietor Nicholas Murphy (Chamber Board Member). About 26 members and friends gathered and enjoyed delicious food, libations, and exchanged mystery Santa gifts.

(Left) Lions Club President Norberto Saldana receives a warm welcome from Nick Murphy. (Right) Hard working club member Mark Wilensky, also Chamber Board member, is delighted to be sitting between two lovely ladies -- at left, club member Janet Viana. At right, is his new lady friend Gemma Culle. Mark loves working with the Lions Club and can always be counted on for extra hours to raise funds for the local food pantries .Mark was the original organizer of the Boys and Girls Club. We should run Mark for mayor!

(Left) Anne Walsh, Club Treasurer, talks with her neighbors and club members Ann Sheehan and Joan Gasparro. These woman joined the club because they like working for the community they are strong part of it! (Left) William and Mary Roeder are both Lions Members and a great working team.

(Left) Frances Schmidt, Chamber Board Member and Republican State Committeewoman, and Sandra Bigltschke, Rebecca Barker, President of Sunnyside Chamber, Joan Gasparro, Ann Walsh, Joe Kenton (from CM Jimmy Van Bramer's Office) and Lions President Norberto Saldana. (Right) Marie Konecko, Ruth Haupert-Lengemann and Maura Wilson. neighbors and long time members of the community. All all are members of other community organizations, such as the United Forties, VFW Ladies Auxiliary, and religious organizations that keep Sunnyside and Woodside strong.

 

(Left) Kris Czerniachowiez, in white jacket brought a friend from work, Alice Cheng. Kris is trying to get her to move to Sunnyside and keep her away from the "outer boroughs" as we call them! (Left) Christian Murray enjoys the company of Marie Konecko, Joe Kenton and Mark Wilensky. The Sunnyside-Woodside Lions Club is open to all and if you are interested in joining, they meet once a month and any of their members will be glad to sponsor you. Or, call their President Norberto 347-239-5476. You will find a very warm welcome waiting!

On Sunday, December 18, All Saint’s Episcopal Church on 46^th Street enjoyed a busy service, which included welcoming the Rt. Reverend Lawrence Provenzano, Bishop of Long Island, and ten church members who received the sacrament of Confirmation. The pews were packed in the lovely church. The Pastor, Father Joseph Jerome, or "Father Joe" as he is known to all, had everything in order for the fourth Sunday of Advent service. Members of the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce, community leaders and the press were invited to the religious occasion.