February 18, 2025 - Queens Ledger

Taste the Best of Queens at QCP’s 29’th Annual Cuisine Event

BQE Admin on February 18, 2025

Courtesy Queens Center for Progress

MOHAMED FARGHALY

mfarghaly@queensledger.com

Queens Centers for Progress (QCP) is gearing up for a festive celebration of community and culinary excellence at its 29th Annual “Evening of Fine Food,” set to take place on Tuesday, February 25, at Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. This highly anticipated event will bring together more than 700 guests for a night of gourmet tastings, mingling, and fundraising—all to support QCP’s mission of empowering individuals with developmental disabilities.

QCP has been serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities for 75 years. Founded in 1950, its mission is to help people live independent, fulfilling, and enriching lives through various supports and services. These services focus on fostering independence, inclusion, and active participation in the community. QCP’s work is dedicated to ensuring that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are able to live full lives, engage with their surroundings, and integrate into the broader community.

The Evening of Fine Food is one of the longest-running food-tasting events in Queens, now in its 29th year. It is a significant annual fundraiser for QCP, and it plays a key role in supporting the organization’s mission. The event features an impressive array of Queens restaurants, local breweries, and other food and beverage vendors who showcase their signature dishes and drinks. The event is described as a “festival of eating and drinking” that gives guests the opportunity to sample the best of what Queens has to offer in terms of food and drink.

Courtesy Dominick Totino

“Our Evening of Fine Food brings together the heart and flavors of Queens, showcasing dishes that reflect our community’s diversity during QCP’s 75th anniversary,” said QCP Executive Director Terri Ross. “Beyond the delicious food, it’s inspiring to know that every ticket purchased directly supports our programs, helping individuals with developmental disabilities pursue fuller, more independent lives. We’re proud to bring people together for a meaningful cause that strengthens our borough.”

The event will honor two individuals with the prestigious “Chefs of the Year” award for their contributions to the community: Dr. Sharon B. DeVivo, EdD, President and CEO of Vaughn College, and Uzoamaka N. Okoye, Chief of Staff at The New Terminal One at JFK Airport. The honorees will not only be recognized for their leadership but will also serve up a family specialty dish, allowing attendees to taste a piece of their personal culinary heritage.

Additionally, QCP will present the Claire Shulman “Spirit of Community” Award to Rachel Kellner, the owner of Aigner Chocolates. Kellner, who has made significant contributions to the Queens community, is being honored for her ongoing support of local businesses and her commitment to giving back to the neighborhood.

QCP Director of Development Wendy Gennaro elaborated on how the event has grown substantially over the years. What started as a small gathering with around 250 attendees and a handful of restaurants has now expanded to welcome over 700 guests, with nearly 50 food vendors. In addition to the food tastings, the event now features a casino, a silent auction, and raffles, with prizes such as airline tickets donated by JetBlue. The growth of the event parallels the expansion of QCP’s services and its reach within the community. Over the years, the event has become a popular fixture of the Queens social calendar, and it provides an important opportunity for residents to come together and network, while also supporting a worthy cause.

“The evening of fine food is a food tasting, and it’s one of the longest running food tastings in Queens, if not all of New York City,” Gennaro said. “This is our 29th year, and what it does is we bring restaurants from all over Queens, and some from other boroughs and even Long Island, but mostly Queens residents and Queens restaurants.”

One of the key reasons for the event’s success is its ability to bring together a wide cross-section of people, including business leaders, community members, and local food enthusiasts. The partnership with Yelp also helps bring in a diverse group of attendees, ensuring that the event is accessible and appealing to all parts of the community. The evening’s casual yet upscale atmosphere, combined with the vibrant food and drink offerings, ensures that it remains a highly anticipated event every year.

Some restaurants have participated since the very first event, including Bourbon Street, Austin’s Ale House, and Marbella Restaurant. Over the years, the food offerings have diversified to reflect the changing culinary landscape of Queens, which is known for its multicultural food scene. Newer additions, such as Khalil Biryani House, which serves Bangladeshi cuisine, and kosher restaurants like Union Bistro and Simcha Palace, offer more options to accommodate a variety of dietary preferences. This inclusivity is essential to ensuring that all attendees feel welcome, and that everyone can enjoy the event’s offerings.

The event has also provided an opportunity for QCP to adapt and grow alongside the changing tastes and needs of the community. Wendy noted that as Queens has evolved, so have the event’s food options, with an emphasis on offering something for everyone, from halal to kosher to vegan selections.

The proceeds from the event directly benefit QCP’s programs, helping the organization continue its mission of providing critical services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. As Wendy explained, the event not only generates significant revenue but also raises awareness about QCP’s work in the community. This is particularly important in a time when there is often a lack of events that combine fun with charitable giving. Through this event, QCP has created a space where attendees can enjoy themselves, all while supporting a cause that impacts the lives of many people in the community.

“I think people, the atmosphere and the energy at this event is always really uplifting. People really feel good when they go, when they’re there,” Gennaro said. “The proceeds all go back to our programs and just help us achieve our mission. So really, you know, it’s a win-win for everyone.”

Tickets for the event are priced at $150, which includes access to the food and drink tastings, the casino, and other activities for three hours of entertainment and can be purchased at tinyurl.com/25QCPFineFood.

“We’re proud of the 75 years that we’ve been operating in Queens, and we’re proud of the services and our staff and the support that we get from the community, and appreciate it,” Gennaro said. “Food isn’t just food, you know, is nurturing and it’s a great way to bring people together. So, we hope that everyone will come and check it out.”

Church Leaders Consider Sale Of Property

BQE Admin on February 18, 2025

The historic Transfiguration Church was built in 1962. It sits on Perry Avenue near 64th Street.

With a post in the Transfiguration bulletin this past Sunday, churchgoers of the Maspeth Church were met with a letter explaining the dire financial situation that the condition of the physical structures on the property put the parish through. The letter went on to state that patchwork on the buildings has been done over the years, but their effectiveness has essentially worn out. Originally built in 1909 as a Parish to help Lithuanian immigrants, the current structure was built in 1962. In 2019 it merged into the St. Stanislaus parish, run by its pastor Msgr. Joseph Calise. The property includes the church structure and attached convent, now rented by the Lithuanian Catholic Relief Association, situated on Perry Avenue, just east of 64^th Street. The property runs through to Clinton Avenue where the rectory is located. The site is just short of an acre and Msgr. Calise says while he put the financial dilemma in front of the parish council and the financial advisory board, there were currently no options given for the property other than the possibility of a sale. “We’d love to keep the property,” he said, “but with the repairs so costly, I’m not sure it makes sense.”

There are three churches within blocks of each other. Holy Cross, the Polish Parish on 56^th Road, just a block away and St. Stanislaus Kostka, on Maspeth Avenue, just two blocks away. St. Stanislaus has one of the most healthy Catholic schools in the diocese. Its school is bursting at the seams, with strong managerial leadership and a vibrant philanthropic arm, quite engaged at making sure the school thrives. This year the Academy has more than 330 children attending and the reported scholarships gained by the graduating 8^th graders into private high schools topped 450 thousand dollars this year. The families of the children attending the school feed the church, which is in a strong financial position.

Msgr. Calise estimates between 160 and 200 people attend Sunday services at Transfiguration. With the Catholic population no longer filling (the churches) like they once did, “… the burden of keeping the buildings at Transfiguration going is just too financially draining,” said Msgr. Calise, during an exclusive interview this week. “We would have to spend more than a million dollars in needed repairs and upgrades to keep it going.” Calise confirmed that the real estate division of the Diocese made the repair assessment recently and “… going into debt with the diocese for that, without a growing congregation at Transfiguration, well, it just makes sense to sell the property,” he said. Dr. Paul Michael Kazas, president of the Knights of Lithuanian Council #110 has been involved with the church for twenty years. “There are so few Lithuanian churches left. It would be devastating to lose it. This church has been a part of Maspeth for 115 years. Anything can be fixed. All resources have to be considered to save this historic church. It was built in 1963 and there is no other church like it in New York. We should make every effort to save it,” he said.

Proceeds from any sale would likely stay within the parish, however a plan will have to be in the hands of the Bishop of the Brooklyn-Queens Catholic Diocese, Robert Brennan.

The Church and convent sit on the property which is nearly an acre and goes through from Perry to Clinton Avenue.

With Charges Dropped Tone Deaf Calls for Adams to Resign Escalate

BQE Admin on February 18, 2025

By Robert Hornak

With the Department of Justice dropping the charges against Eric Adams, you’d think that all the Democrats who said previously that they didn’t know if Adams could continue to perform his job while fighting a federal indictment should be relieved that he’s now considered in the clear.

But not in the bizarro world that is New York politics lately.

After the indictment, Gov. Hochul met with Adams to discuss what he needed to do to hold on until his trial. There were other members of his administration that were implicated, and she insisted that he remove anyone else that was under suspicion. And Adams quickly complied.

Calls for his resignation died down as everyone realized that Adams was in trouble not just legally but politically. His poll numbers are as bad as they get and the chance he could win reelection is nonexistent.

Now the DOJ has dropped the charges, freeing Adams to at least continue working for the next few months without the pressure of a trial until city voters engage in the generally accepted method to replace elected officials they no want, an election.

But rather than feeling relieved that one of their own dodged a bullet and won’t go through the spectacle of a big trial, they are all melting down and losing their minds. Why? Because Adams is doing what he said he would do, work to deport illegal immigrants, especially those who have committed crimes, in cooperation with the Trump administration, which is doing exactly what everyone knew they would do.

And THIS is what is causing all the controversy. Not that Eric Adams may have broken campaign finance laws, but that he might uphold immigration laws and work with federal authorities in doing so.

However, now that the charges have been dropped, the case for removal of Adams from office is no longer a legal argument but now entirely a political attack for supporting a policy that many NYC Democrats object to. And it is not at all clear that Hochul has the power to remove the mayor without legal charges hanging over his head. The NYS Constitution states, “The mayor may be removed from office by the governor upon charges and after service upon him of a copy of the charges and an opportunity to be heard in his defense.”

What charges would Hochul press to make the case for removal? Even in this crazy new world they can’t seriously argue that Adams following federal law – and cooperating with the President of the United States, who received 77 million votes just a few months ago to take action on issues exactly like this – is what Democrats in NY see as his offense.

But that is exactly what they are saying. Top Democrats, including Lt Gov Antonio Delgado, are now aggressively calling for Adams to resign or be removed. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez posted on social media, “As long as Trump wields this leverage over Adams, the city is endangered. We cannot be governed under coercion. If Adams won’t resign, he must be removed.”

And this is the left’s spin. That Adams must be under coercion to follow federal law, even though he has stated very clearly that this situation is unsustainable and that those here illegally who commit other crimes must be deported. It’s actually mind-boggling to think anyone could disagree with that.

And yet, this is where the Democratic Party is today. While Hochul, who is likely to face a tougher than expected reelection herself next year, is not rushing to take action on this, she realizes what most of us realize. This is all just politics.

Robert Hornak is a professional political consultant who has previously served as the Deputy Director of the Republican Assembly Leader’s NYC office and as Executive Director of the Queens Republican Party. He can be reached at rahornak@gmail.com and @RobertHornak on X.

Church Leaders Consider Sale Of Property

With Charges Dropped Tone Deaf Calls for Adams to Resign Escalate

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