KCCP Chair Fran Vella-Marrone honored at a dinner
DYKER HEIGHTS — The Dyker Heights Civic Association’s (DHCA) annual dinner honored Fran Vella-Marrone, chair of Kings County Conservative Party (KCCP), on Sept. 26 at Sirico’s, for her tireless and devoted work in community and civic affairs and her contributions to both the public and private sectors.
Vella-Marrone is the first woman to be elected as chair of the KCCP, and she is also the first woman from any political party in Brooklyn to serve as chair. Vella-Marrone used the event as an opportunity to step down from her position as president of the DHCA, a position she has held for some 30 years. Brooklyn native Joe Loccisano will be taking on the new role as the association’s president.
The DHCA, which has been in existence since 1928, is a volunteer group that focuses on the community to maintain the quality of life and to fight for issues of concern, according to Vella-Marrone.
“It was a truly fantastic dinner,” Vella-Marrone said. “The support I received from the Civic Association and the community at large was really nice, and I appreciated it. Nobody does anything on their own, and everything I did was with the support of the people.”
The dinner had approximately 150 guests in attendance, including a number of elected officials, including Chairman of the New York State Conservative Party Jerry Kassar and Richie Barsamian, chairman of the Kings County Republican Party.
“Fran is a person known to the community for decades, the type of person who always looks to help people,” Barsamian said. “She is someone who is driven by the desire to help others.”
Although relinquishing her role as president, Vella-Marrone will still be on the board of the DHCA, attending meetings and helping them do things to better the community, she noted.