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GENERALLY SPEAKING: Week of September 29

September 29, 2011 Theodore W. General

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HERE COME THE RAGAMUFFINS!

Get ready for Bay Ridge’s biggest annual youth event this comingSaturday; it’s the 45th annual Children’s Ragamuffin Parade.Thousands of area youngsters, from babies and toddlers beingwheeled by their parents to preschoolers and pre-teens, areexpected to join marching bands, bagpipers, twirlers, clowns andcostumed Disney characters for the colorful kiddie march.

Promptly at 1 p.m., 2011 Grand Marshal ChristinaTettonis will be leading the contingent upon continent ofsmall-fry up Third Avenue from 76th Street to 92nd Street.Tettonis, a highly respected educator is the past principal ofPublic School 170 and is currently at the helm of the HellenicClassic Charter School on lower Fifth Avenue. She is also a BayRidge neighbor and close friend of Ragamuffin PresidentColleen Golden.

The parade officials will be also honoring the memory ofTom Kane

Parents, are your kids signed up for the parade? If not, don’tworry — 11th hour registration will take place in the schoolyardof the Holy Angels Academy (OLA) on 74th Street just off ThirdAvenue, from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on the day of the parade. Thereare no entry fees.

Additionally, copies of the registration forms are alsoavailable at this paper’s offices, 8723 Third Avenue; Hinsch’s,8518 Fifth Avenue; Art Room, 8710 Third Avenue; State SenatorMarty Golden‘s office, 7408 Fifth Avenue;Councilmember Vincent Gentile‘s office, 8703 ThirdAvenue; Carvel Ice Cream Stores, 7400 Third Avenue and 6924 FifthAvenue, and Kaleidoscope Toy Store, 8722 Third Avenue.

Every costumed child that marches or is pushed in a carriage orstroller along the parade route to the end gets a free toy andbecomes eligible to win a spanking new bicycle. However, your childmust be wearing the bright orange registration/consent form pinnedto the back of his or her costume. Elected officials are encouragedto join Parade Commentator Chuck Otey on thereviewing grandstand at 91st Street.

Our thanks to Community Education Council 20 PresidentLaurie Windsor and Third AvenueMerchants Association Marketing Director Chuck Otey, for allowingus to address their recent meetings, in our role as publicrelations director for the Ragamuffin Parade. Both Laurie and Chuckhave been past Ragamuffin honorees.

The start of the new school year marks the fifth yearKarina Costantino

At the September meeting of the education council, VicePresident Mark Bramante mentioneddue to the excessive overcrowding in our local schools, theDepartment of Education is preparing rezoning proposals for thecouncil to review and recommend to the superintendent forimplementation.

On a recent TV interview, Schools Chancellor DennisWalcott said he personally favors kindergarten to eighthgrade schools. District 20 now has five, with P.S. 104, 92nd Streetand Fifth Avenue, the district’s oldest K-8 model.

There was a terrific turnout, for the Home Reporter andBrooklyn Spectator’s Kings of Kings County business exposition atthe El Caribe Country Club in Mill Basin. It was great seeing acouple of old friends who participated in the program. They wereformer 68th Precinct police officer and now international tenor,Danny RodriguezJamieGigantiello

Vicki Schneps

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitzsmiled broadly when the band played Hail to the Chief, usuallyreserved for the president of the United States. But, thenMarkowitz frequently joshes about being president of the Republicof Brooklyn!

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn wassaluted as The Woman of the Year, and brought back to her officea large trophy in commemoration of the occasion. Co-publisherJosh Schneps literally pulled out all the stopspromoting, coordinating and contributing to the overall success ofthis major endeavor.

We will be joining Sister Fran Picone

FDNY Fire Officer Lieutenant Mario Vasconi wasthe guest speaker at the September meeting of the Bay Ridge AARP inShore Hill Community Room, 91st and Shore Road. Not only didVasconi talk about ways seniors can avoid fires and what to do whenthey occur, he dropped to the floor to demonstrate how to put out afire if your clothes accidentally catch on fire.