Author: Dan Rose

In the 24th annual Valentines for Vets gift drive in northeast Queens, residents donated a record number of items for hospitalized veterans.

Co-sponsored by Assemblyman Edward Braunstein, the Law Offices of Ann-Margaret Carrozza and Community Board 11, the drive netted thousands of handwritten cards, candy, new clothing items, playing cards, puzzles and toiletries.

Donations were made by 30 schools across the district, as well as civic organizations, libraries, Girl Scout troops and local residents.

“These donations, which were the most received in the 24-year history of our community’s Valentines for Vets program, helped to brighten the day of hundreds of veterans by showing that we care about them and appreciate their sacrifices,” Braunstein said.

Here are the schools and community groups that contributed to this drive:

• Bayside High School Key Club
• Bayside Historical Society
• Bayside Public Library
• Benjamin N. Cardozo High School
• Divine Wisdom Catholic Academy
• Fresh Meadows Public Library
• Girl Scout Troop 4587
• Grace Episcopal Conron Girl Scout Troop
• Greater Whitestone Taxpayers Civic Association
• Holy Trinity Catholic Academy
• IS 25
• Jefferson Democratic Club
• MS 158
• Miracle Ear
• MS 294 – Bell Academy
• New York-Presbyterian Queens/Cancer Services Program
• Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Academy
• Park Shore Country Day Camp/Preschool
• PS 32
• PS 41
• PS 79
• PS 94,
• PS 107
• PS 130
• PS 159
• PS 169
• PS 174
• PS 184
• PS 193
• PS 209
• PS 811
• Sacred Heart Catholic Academy
• School District 25 Pre-K Center of College Point
• School District 25 Pre-K Center of Whitestone
• School District 30 Pre-K Center
• Shaub
• Ahmuty
• Citrin, & Spratt, PPL
• St. Luke School
• St. Mel’s Catholic Academy
• St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Seniors
• St. Robert Bellarmine Girl Scout Troop 4279
• Townsend Harris High School
• William Spyropoulos Greek-American Day School

Over the weekend, Assembly candidate Steve Lee and his campaign team donated boxes of masks to the seniors at the Selfhelp Benjamin Rosenthal Senior Center.

According to the campaign, seniors were already lined up around the auditorium, awaiting distribution, when Lee walked in.

The former police officer then performed a demonstration to teach seniors how to properly wear the n95 masks.

Afterward, Lee spoke to some of the members, as well as the staff.

The campaign said it will return the following week to distribute more masks.

Every year, members of Congress can bring a guest to the State of the Union address in Washington D.C. Often, who they choose is reflective of the elected official’s values.

For tonight’s address, Congresswoman Grace Meng has chosen to bring Abdul Quddus Chaudhry of Flushing, a security officer at LaGuardia Airport and a member of the 32BJ SEIU.

Chaudhry, 65, has worked as a private contractor for LGA for 10 years. He’s originally from Lahore, Pakistan, and came to the United States in 2010. He became an American citizen in 2014.

In Pakistan, Chaudhry earned a master’s degree in political science, a law degree and ran his own law practice.

Chaudhry was part of 32BJ’s successful effort to win an increased minimum wage of $19 for airport workers by 2023. He’s also a member of the Airport Workers Bargaining Committee.

“Bringing Abdul as my guest shines a light on the important role that our labor force plays in communities throughout Queens and across the nation,” Meng said, “and it brings attention to their fight for improving workers’ rights, including affordable health benefits and safe working conditions.”

Congressman Adriano Espaillat has been named the 2020 commencement speaker for Queens College’s 96th commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 28 at 9 a.m.

A Queens College alumnus, Espaillat, who grew up in Manhattan, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1979.

In 2016, Espaillat became the first Dominican-American and formerly undocumented immigrant to be elected to Congress.

At the commencement ceremony, he will be presented with the President’s Medal, the college’s highest administrative award.

Queens College’s political science department previously honored Espaillat in 2017 with their Distinguished Alumnus Award.

After graduating from QC, Espaillat worked at nonprofit organizations that provided legal services to indigents, counseled families of crime victims and fought substance abuse.

He served as a member of the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate before being elected to Congress.

Queens Public Library lost a well-respected and beloved member of their Whitestone branch last week.

QPL announced on January 23 that longtime children’s librarian Susan Scatena, also known as “Miss Susan,” passed away suddenly earlier this month.

Scatena organized an annual children’s summer reading contest for the past 14 years to get kids to read during their vacation.

If they reached the collective goal of reading 2,000 books, she did a “special stunt,” according to QPL, including sitting in a vat of spaghetti, kissing a frog, reading to an alligator, eating a plate of green eggs and ham, and more.

“During the 18 years she served the Whitestone community, Susan became an institution because of her creativity, thoughtfulness and total devotion to children,” QPL President and CEO Dennis Walcott said.

“She was a remarkable librarian who was beloved by many people in the community, within the QPL system and beyond,” he added. “We are deeply saddened by her passing and will miss her a great deal.”

Miss Susan began her career as a teacher, and later joined QPL in 1981. She has also worked at Poppenhusen and the Mitchell-Linden branches before moving to Whitestone in 2002.

Born on June 14, 1958, Scatena was raised in nearby College Point. She attended Monsignor Scanlan High School in the Bronx, received a bachelor’s degree in early eduction and a master’s degree in library science at Queens College.

Among her accolades was the prestigious James Patterson PageTurner Award in 2006 for her efforts to get kids to love reading.

Scatena volunteered in her spare time with organizations like the Village Light Opera Group, the New York Caledonian Club and the New York Scottish Pipes and Drums.

She is survived by her partner, Rick Stanley of Flushing, and their cat, Dewey.