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Uniting Generations Through Memorials Around Forest Hills

Michael Perlman on May 15, 2023

By Michael Perlman | mperlman@queensledger.com

Throughout Forest Hills, a number of monuments, parks, buildings, and parade routes keep the memory of America’s bravest alive. May we never cease to honor those who dedicated their soul to our country.

On Flagpole Green, formerly Village Green in Forest Hills Gardens, stands an ornate Neo-Classical pink granite and green and gold bronze monument, which honors 102 residents and was dedicated in 1920. The WWI Soldiers & Sailors Memorial was designed by renowned American sculptor Adolph Alexander Weinman (1870 – 1952), who lived nearby at 236 Greenway South and operated a studio at 234 Greenway South.

The memorial reads, “Erected by the citizens of Forest Hills in recognition of the patriotic spirit and loyal devotion of the men of this community who served in the Military Forces of The United States in The Great War.” The design represents “The Call to Overseas” above the names on the tablet, including Dr. Joseph MacDonald, Gerald MacDonald, Henry MacDonald, George C. Meyer who served as president of Cord Meyer, and David and Howard Springsteen of the community’s farming family, when Forest Hills was known as Whitepot. Since last summer, residents observed meticulous restoration work, resulting in the polishing of the bronze tablet, which developed a green patina, as far back as most residents can recall.

Midway Theatre Upon Completion in 1942.

The historic Art Moderne style Midway Theatre at 108-22 Queens Boulevard, with its accordion-like façade and vertical beacon, was designed in 1942 by America’s foremost theater architect, Thomas Lamb. Upon making an entrance, theatergoers once took pride in an illuminated Battle of Midway mural. When community residents picked up a copy of The Forest Hills-Kew Gardens Post on September 18, 1942, they came across an ad, which read, “The Midway Theatre has been so named and dedicated as a tribute to the gallant men of our armed forces, who achieved so brilliant a victory at Midway Island.” Patrons were ready for a single-screen theater, where they could enjoy films and attempt to escape the traumas of WWII.

Enter the small forested setting of Samuel Picker Square at 69th Avenue and Burns Street near Forest Hills Stadium and Chatwick Gardens. Situated alongside the fence in an often overlooked spot is a stone bearing an inscription: “This Sitting Area is Dedicated to the Memory of Samuel Picker; Outstanding American, Community Leader and Dedicated Legionnaire; 1921 – 1981; Forest Hills Post 630, The American Legion.” It then bears the names of past officials, Borough President Donald R. Manes and Councilman Arthur J. Katzman.

Samuel Picker Square stone dedication. Photo by Michael Perlman

Samuel J. Picker, a Renaissance man, wore several hats, mostly throughout the 1960s and 1970s, consistently fulfilling his humanitarian spirit. They included Queens County American Legion Commander, Governor of District 20-K Lions International, Queens Cancer Crusade committee member, and President of the National American Legion Press Association. He served as Grand Marshal of the American Legion County Parade in Ridgewood in June 1971, which began with exercises at the War Memorial on Myrtle Avenue and surpassed expectations with 15,000 guests. He also served as president of the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, which offered philanthropic gift guide dogs and rehab to qualified blind applicants, where masters and guide dogs were duly trained at the Foundation’s center in Smithtown.

Picker owned the longtime Continental Hardware at 102-01 Metropolitan Avenue. As of 1976, he was a Queens County Grand Jurors Association member, and in 1977, he became founder and first president of the Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce. In 1978, Lieutenant Governor-Elect Mario Cuomo presented him with the Henry G. Wenzel Medal of the American Cancer Society at the Biltmore Hotel dinner dance.

The tour continues with Forest Hills’ earliest extant tributary site, Remsen Cemetery, which was landmarked in 1981. Situated on a park-like setting between Trotting Course Lane and Alderton Street, the cemetery contains tombstones dating from 1790 through 1819. Flanking a flagpole, two doughboys honor Forest Hills’ service in WWI.

Later addition of limestone tombstones at Remsen Cemetery with doughboys. Photo: Michael Perlman

In Colonial times, it was popular for families to have private cemeteries close to home. The Remsen family erected a homestead on their farm adjacent to the cemetery in 1699, which stood until 1925. Jeromus Remsen Sr. (1735 – 1790) fought in the French and Indian War. As colonel of the Kings and Queens County Militia in the Battle of Long Island, he commanded the 7th New York Regiment in the American Revolutionary War.

The Remsen Park Coalition’s 1981 plaque states, “Within this park lies the remains of Revolutionary War Veteran Colonel Jeromus Remsen. Buried in the confines of this site were his cousins Major Abraham Remsen, Captain Luke Remsen, Lieutenant Aurt Remsen and their families. The Remsen family was amongst the first settlers of this area, originally known as White Pot.” A 1925 survey revealed brownstone grave inscriptions of Jeromus, Anna, Jerome (two), Cornelius, Ann Elizabeth, Bridget, and Major Abraham Remsen. The Veterans Administration erected non-brownstone graves that memorialize Colonel Remsen, Maj. Abraham Remsen, and brothers Aurt and Garrett Remsen, who were also Revolutionary War officers. The vanishing of some brownstone tombstones remains a mystery.

Remsen Farmhouse. Courtesy of Michael Perlman

The Captain Gerald MacDonald Statue stands prominently in MacDonald Park as a bronze sculpture bearing homage to Gerald MacDonald (1882 – 1929), a Forest Hills resident and WWI veteran. He was an officer of engineers, who erected bridges and dug trenches. It was dedicated on May 27, 1934 by Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia, after American Legion Post 630 allocated $1,500 at the request of WWI veteran Henry MacDonald, Gerald’s brother. The granite base inscription reads: “Capt. Gerald MacDonald; Memorial Dedicated By Forest Hills Post No. 630 The American Legion; To Those Who Served In The World War; 1934.”

The statue was sculpted by Henry MacDonald’s brother-in-law, Frederic de Henwood, and designed by architect William Henry Deacy. As for MacDonald Park, it was officially named on April 25, 1933.

WWI Captain Gerald MacDonald Statue. Photo by Michael Perlman

On May 28, 1933, the New York Times reported, “The ceremonies included a parade through Forest Hills by American Legion posts, Boy and Girl Scouts, and civic groups. Colonel F.W. Stopford of the U.S. Army, who was the principal speaker at the ceremonies, praised Mr. MacDonald’s war service as an officer of engineers at the battle of the Meuse-Argonne.” A rare MacDonald Memorial Games brass medal that represents Forest Hills and WWI history, was rediscovered a few years ago on eBay. It features Captain Gerald MacDonald.

Marching in the spirit of our bravest has been a unifying theme of the Forest Hills Memorial Day Parades. Forest Hills residents can trace an extensive route of historic parades. In 1922, red paper poppies were sold by a group of young ladies for 10 cents, and the proceeds benefited the veterans’ Mountain Camp. They hoped that everyone in Forest Hills would wear a poppy, which would pay tribute to wounded soldiers in the war. Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address was read, and the Forest Hills Choral Club led “My Country Tis’ of Thee.”

In June 1923, The Forest Hills Bulletin captured how a multi-generational community bonded and paid tribute: “On Memorial Day, the Forest Hills Post of the American Legion conducted services on the Green, in which they honored Rice Bassett, Whitney Bowles, Clarence O. Collins and Lewis Serlin from Forest Hills, who rendered the supreme sacrifice during the war. Commander Thomas B. Paton, Jr. was in charge.” A parade was led by a fifteen-piece Naval Reserve Band.

It continued, “During the services, an aeroplane circled over the Green, and Comrade John von Hofe dropped a wreath, to which was attached a message from President Harding. The wreath was placed on the memorial tablet and the message, calling upon the people for renewed consecration to ‘the finest sentiments of national love, devotion and loyalty’ was read. The speakers were Robert W. McCleary, Major, Coast Artillery Corps, and Hon. Robert W. Bonynge, ex-Congressman from Colorado, who both made stirring appeals for national patriotism. The Choral Club led the singing: Lead Kindly Light was sung by the post quartet, and Dr. Latshaw led in prayer.” A Memorial Day essay contest would engage the interest of neighborhood children, including those of Public School 3.

On May 31, 1938, The New York Times published, “In Forest Hills, a Memorial Day parade was headed by a detail from the Sixty-second Coast Artillery (Anti-Aircraft). The American Legion and other veteran organizations took part together with youth auxiliary units. The parade started at Austin St and Ascan Ave and proceeded to the Flagpole Green and thence to Jerry MacDonald Park, and to the Forest Hills Theatre, where exercises were held.”

The 2023 parade will begin on May 28 with an opening ceremony at 11 AM and the parade at 12 PM along Metropolitan Avenue. Now it is time to take a look back at American Legion Continental Post 1424 at 107-15 Metropolitan Avenue, which made it all possible. The American Legion was incorporated by Congress in 1919, and is known as the nation’s largest wartime veterans’ service organization. It maintains a mission to mentor youth and sponsor wholesome community programs, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to fellow service members and veterans.

At the American Legion’s Forest Hills post, a plaque commemorates past commanders. The earliest recorded is James P. Grimes in 1946, alongside names including Stanley J. Koerner in 1953, John Civita from 1968 to 1969, and Arthur L. Dunckelman from 1984 to 1987. Former Forest Hills resident Michael Albetta served as parade coordinator from 1978 to 1990, president and founder of the Remsen Park Coalition which helped restore and landmark Remsen Cemetery, and was coordinator of the “Colonel Remsen Memorial Encampment.”

Remsen Memorial Encampment. Courtesy of Michael Albetta

Sponsored by the American Legion Continental Post 1424 and the Remsen Park Coalition, the May 30, 1979 parade was predicted to be the largest of its kind countrywide, with hundreds of marchers and nearly 5,000 spectators. It culminated with ceremonies in commemoration of veterans at Remsen Cemetery, including Revolutionary War Colonel Jeromus Remsen.

The 1980 Forest Hills Memorial Day Festival marked an expansion to a two-day event. On May 25, over 200 Colonial troops participated in the “Colonel Remsen Memorial Encampment,” held at Greenfield Park bordering Union Turnpike. Attendees acquired a taste of Colonial life, complete with the era’s crafts. The next day, over 2,000 marchers proceeded along Metropolitan Avenue from the turnpike, which was the parade’s former starting point.

Maspeth honors Squad 288, Hazmat 1 firefighters 21 years later

Jessica Meditz on September 14, 2022

Memorial ceremony remembers those lost on 9/11

By Jessica Meditz

jmeditz@queensledger.com

The young nieces and grandchildren of deceased firefighter Dennis Carey of Hazmat 1. (Photo: Walter Karling)

In true “Maspeth is America” fashion, residents gathered on Grand Avenue to remember Sept. 11, 2001, 21 years later.

At a ceremony held by Maspeth Federal Savings at Maspeth Memorial Park, the community honored the firefighters of Squad 288/Hazmat 1 who perished in the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers.

Squad 288/Hazmat 1 had the single largest loss of firefighters of any FDNY firehouse.

Kenneth Rudzewick, emcee of the event, cited the importance of holding memorial ceremonies like this one every year, “We gather here in Maspeth and across America to mark the unfinished work of remembering. There will never be a time when this work is finished.”

“I’m sure you, as I do, remember what you were doing and how you received the dreadful news on 9/11. That day changed the lives of everyone in America,” he continued.

Like Rudzewick, other longtime guests took part in the event — including Msgr. Joseph Calise of St. Stan’s; Vincent Tomeo, retired high school teacher and poet; Bill and Liz Huisman, a husband and wife musical duo; Mike Aylward, who read the names of the fallen first responders; John Christ, who performed “Taps” and Kathleen Nealon, who sang the national anthem.

Kathleen Nealon and the St. Stan’s Players sing the National Anthem as two members of the audience salute. (Photos: Walter Karling)

“It’s an honor to sit here today in memory of all those who lost their lives on 9/11 as well as those who continue to die of 9/11-related illnesses,” Nealon said. “I keep them and their families in my prayers always. God bless them and God bless America.”

The memorial especially honored Maspeth residents who perished as a result of the 9/11 attacks.

Firefighters lay the wreath in honor of Squad 288/Hazmat 1.

Local elected officials joined the community in remembrance, including Assemblyman Brian Barnwell, State Senator Joseph Addabbo, Councilman Robert Holden and State Senator Michael Gianaris.

They discussed the importance of not only remembering and honoring the lives lost in the present, but also how to carry out their memory to future generations.

“For these memories to live on, for the sacrifices to be remembered, they have to be taught…I saw as the flags are being laid so many future generations here, and it’s on us to make sure they don’t forget what happened,” Gianaris said.

“It’s important to learn the lessons of those days, the lessons of sacrificing for freedom, the lessons of selflessness and of giving one’s life to save others,” he continued. “As time goes on, it will be on us to find people who didn’t experience it, who will continue to teach the lesson.”

Holden echoed his sentiment, and emphasized his wish to see the Maspeth firehouse recognized as a landmark.

He alongside the Juniper Park Civic Association have fought for this, however The Landmarks Preservation Commission turned down their request, because it has been less than 30 years — much to his dismay.

He also reminisced on the sense of solidarity among New Yorkers and Americans following the attack, and hopes to see it return.

“Remembering the days following 9/11, everybody was together, everybody was cheering on first responders. Everybody was thanking them. We were united; we were a true United States,” he said.

“We have to get that back again…in my lifetime, I’ve never seen us so divided. We probably haven’t been this divided since the Civil War,” he continued.” So we have an urgent responsibility as elected officials to unite our constituents on a common cause to keep us safe.”

NYPD Detective memorialized with overpass renaming

webadmin on July 13, 2022

Governor Hochul has signed legislation to rename the Long Island Expressway overpass located at Francis Lewis Boulevard and Horace Harding Expressway as the “Detective Anastasios Tsakos Memorial Bridge.”

By passing this legislation, the Department of Transportation can proceed with the design and installation of signage.

“This new law and signage will help memorialize Detective Tsakos and his heroism by renaming the Francis Lewis Boulevard LIE overpass in his honor,” State Assemblywoman Nily Rozic said. “I thank Governor Kathy Hochul for signing this legislation expeditiously and getting this done.”

Rozic and State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky joined his wife, Irene Tsakos, members of the NYPD, Police Benevolent Association President Patrick J. Lynch, and members of the local community, earlier this year, to memorialize the one year anniversary of the death of Detective Tsakos, who was killed in the line of duty.

“The designation of the ‘Detective Anastasios Tsakos Memorial Bridge’ will help keep the memory of Detective Tsakos alive while serving as a reminder of his tragic death in the line of duty,” Stavisky said in a statement. “Detective Tsakos served our city with distinction for more than a decade before his untimely passing. He was a loving son, husband and father who is survived by his wife and two children. I am honored to have sponsored this bill to rename this overpass as a small gesture of gratitude for his sacrifice.”

Tsakos was struck and killed by an intoxicated driver on April 21, 2021. He was responding to a collision on the LIE and was helping direct traffic at the time. The driver fled the scene, but was later apprehended and charged by a Queens grand jury on a 13-count indictment which included aggravated and vehicular manslaughter.

A resident of East Northport, Long Island, he served 13 years with the NYPD as a highway officer with Highway Unit 3. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of detective. He is survived by his wife, Irene, and their two children.

Over the past few months, several gatherings have occurred to honor the late Detective Tsakos including a plaque and motorcycle sidecar dedication and renaming of the wellness center and gym at Highway Unit 3.

“The heartbreaking loss of Detective Anastasios Tsakos has left a void in our hearts that neither words nor time can ever fill. However, we have an obligation to honor his memory and legacy,” Kim Royster, NYPD chief of transportation, said in a statement. “We must ensure future generations forever recognize the immense sacrifice Detective Tsakos made for the City he served. The renaming of the Long Island Expressway overpass where Detective Tsakos was killed, is one way we fulfill our promise that we make to all members of the NYPD the moment they step foot inside the halls of the police academy; a promise that we will never forget those officers who made the ultimate sacrifice.”

Remembering Brooklyn poet Wynne Henry

Matthew Fischetti on June 22, 2022

mfischetti@queensledger.com

Wynne Henry always had dreams of moving back to Brooklyn.

The Flatbush-bred poet and writer would often talk about it on the phone with her friend Helene Ruiz, founder of the Urban Individualists Collective. They would daydream about moving into adjacent apartment buildings so that they could send food over to each other over the clothewsire and laugh at all the chicken heads below them.

Unfortunately, Henry, who friends often called “poetry dancer,” never got to live that dream. She died in December of last year in California, after a battle with cancer. But her friends ended up giving her the next best thing with a proper memorial in her hometown.

Photos of the late Wynne Henry displayed at her memorial service.

On Friday, several of Henry’s friends gathered in the backyard of an AirBnb in Little Haiti to give the Brooklyn girl a deserving send-off. Throughout her life, Henry worked as a creative writing teacher both in New York City and on the west coast, where she moved several years ago to take care of her mother. Several small plastic fold up tables were set up in the back, each decorated with old photos of Henry and copies of her poetry collection “7 Blocks… and TWO Stories up” that friends would read from.

“She was quiet, simple, practical, and made every effort to do what was good for herself and those around her. She was a woman of her word, and I felt she deserved so much more than life gave her in return,” Kimberly Allen, 54, said. They had been friends for 12 years, originally meeting in the Los Angeles poetry scene.

In everyday life, Wynne was a quiet and introspective person. She wasn’t necessarily shy, but was reserved and often didn’t want to worry friends with her own problems. But in her writing, her voice soared.

“She seemed to really see people. When she brought her poetry and some of the things that she expressed, it let you know that she paid attention to everyday life and the people that she would run across,” Allen continued.

Henry’s poems delved into an array of topics: the scourge of racism, the simple pleasure and disappointments of love and meditations on daily life. One poem, which started as a writing prompt asking poets to define why they write, demonstrates some of her artistic drive.

“I want my poetry to help you find your voice/one word at a time/and when you finally run out of things to say/I want my poetry to speak for you,” a poem entitled ‘I want my poetry to’ reads, from her collection “7 Blocks… and TWO Stories up.”

Wynne Henry’s poetry collection “7 Blocks… and TWO stories up”

And on Friday afternoon, Henry’s words spoke for the friend who months later still struggled to find the words to properly mourn her.

Karen Abercrombie remembers many things about her friend of over 20 years, but one of the first that came to mind was her love of cats. After all, Henry is the reason why Abercrombie has two herself.

One Thanksgiving in North Carolina, Abercrombie took Henry to the local animal shelter. They came back each day just to look at one specific cat to adopt. He ended up getting adopted by another family. So, naturally, Abercrombie ended up adopting two other cats instead: one name Langston, after Langston Hughes (one of Henry’s favorite writers); and the other Finn.

Henry didn’t own a cat herself, Abercrombie explained, and speculated that it was because of the disappearance of her childhood cat. But that didn’t stop her from showering her friends’ pets with homemade crochets or picking up their favorite food when she saw it in a supermarket.

“Everytime I look at my cats – or things we shared together, like our love for African fabrics – I think of her,” Abercrombie said tearfully.

William Washington, a fellow poet, said that Henry had shaped him in many ways.

“So what I remember most about her is that besides great poetry, was the love affair we had that was never a love affair,” Washington said explaining their complicated relationship. Washington explained that while they had deep feelings for each other, Henry often kept him at arms length after her first battle with breast cancer.

“I loved her. And I like to think she loved me,” Washington said, to audible agreements from other memorial attendees.

Washington described his poetry before meeting Henry as mad and angry, which often contained harsh language. But Henry taught him that he could use his words to talk about more than just what enraged him.

“You wasn’t born angry like this. So don’t be afraid to write about love. And even if I was writing about my broken heart, she said write about this therapy. She taught me how to use soothing calming words instead of the words I was using,” Washington said.

While most of the attendants knew Henry in different ways, either in passing through art and poetry shows or decades long friendships, Luis Hidalgo, who never met Henry and attended the memorial with his wife,was equally moved by the ceremony.

“You know, as I get older, I think about my legacy. And to see what a legacy this woman left, the way she touched you. And the way she touched me through the words that you spoke here. What a wonderful thing,” Hidalgo said. “You know, words that were written down 2,000, 3,000 years ago, hundreds of years ago, that still echo today. Words that have taken men into battle. Words, putting men and women in love. And we still read it all these years later. And somehow this lady fits that mold.

Hidalgo continued to say that in reality Henry isn’t gone.

“Because in the Bible, it says if more than two to speak my word, I am present. Well, she’s present then.”

Queens Vietnam Veterans Memorial vandalized

webadmin on June 2, 2021

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Elmhurst Park was vandalized sometime between Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning.
Graffiti vandals spray-painted “Baby Killers” and swastikas, among other things, in the shadow of several wreaths that were placed there last Thursday morning during a Memorial Day ceremony.
The memorial was dedicated on December 26, 2019. It culminated a decade-long push for the $2.85 million monument, which features a curved bench flanked by two semi-closed granite walls.
One wall bears the names of 371 men from Queens who fought and died in the Vietnam War. The second features a timeline of the war and a map of key locations.
An additional plaque honors the lives of veterans who died from illnesses related to their service in Vietnam. It includes the name of Pat Toro, a former president of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 32 who began the push for a memorial in 2008.
He passed away in 2014 due to complications from exposure to Agent Orange during his time in service.

Forest Hills honors those who gave all

webadmin on June 2, 2021

A group of nearly 100 people gathered at the Remsen Family Cemetery in Forest Hills on Sunday for a Memorial Day Ceremony honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the country.
The annual parade that usually precedes the ceremony was cancelled for a second year due to COVID.
“Today is a moment of remembrance, reflection, and reverence to all those who sacrificed their lives for god and country,” said Michael Arcati, commander of America Legion Post 1424, which helped organize the event. “We are also here today to salute the first responders, doctors, nurses, EMT, police, and community volunteers who carried us through the dark days of the COVID pandemic when we could not leave our homes and death surrounded us.”
The National Anthem was sung by Abby Payne before Captain Joseph Cappelmann took the podium as the first honoree of the day, receiving the Law and Order award for his service to the community. Cappelmann has been the 112th Precinct’s commanding officer since February of 2020.
“We are here to honor all the servicemen and servicewoman who gave their lives to defend our nation and our freedom,” he said. “Despite all the challenges that our nation has faced lately, the American dream is still alive, and we must honor those who gave everything to defend it.”
Fellow honoree Bob Simpson is an adjunct of Post 1424, as well a three-time Purple Heart recipient.
“Someone once said death is not final until you are forgotten,” he told the crowd. “While I breathe, all of you will live on and your sacrifices for our freedom will be remembered. I salute all those brothers and sisters who fought for us and didn’t come back.”
The end of the ceremony was marked by the laying of wreaths and a formal recognition of Post 1424 members that passed during the last year.
Heidi Chain, president of the 112th Precinct Community Council, served as grand marshal with Teresa Amato of LIJ Forest Hills Hospital. Chain talked about the value of sacrifice and paid special homage to her father, a veteran of WWII.
“Memorial Day and every holiday has changed in how we are able to participate because of COVID, but despite that the message in our heart has not changed,” Chain said before quoting former president Barack Obama. “Our nation has set aside this day to pay solemn tribute to the patriots who gave their last full measure of devotion to this country that we love.”

A Woodhaven Memorial Day tradition lives on

webadmin on June 1, 2021

One-hundred years ago, residents of Woodhaven were still reeling from the brutal one-two punch of the deadly 1918 Spanish flu pandemic and World War I. Out of all that loss and despair, an idea for a beautiful and unique tribute was born: the Memorial Trees of Forest Park.
Located at the top of Forest Parkway and running through the park, each tree was planted in the name of a soldier who left Woodhaven to fight overseas but never came home.
And every year on Memorial Day, friends and family of the fallen would gather in the park to decorate their trees.
We’ve written many times about how this tradition faded away over time, as well as how it came to be rediscovered and revived.
But because we are so far removed from the tradition itself, there are few details on the decorations themselves. Articles in the Leader-Observer 100 years ago mention ribbons and flags, so we’ve incorporated those into our decorations.
And they also mention notes the friends and families wrote to their loved ones, telling them the things they wish they could if they were still alive.
So whenever I’ve imagined former Woodhaven residents decorating the trees, I’ve always pictured a somber scene. Quiet, tearful, mournful.
That would better describe last year’s decorating of the trees in Forest Park when we were limited to four people due to COVID-19. The park was empty that morning. It was quiet. It was somber. Our voices echoed around the back stretch of trees and any passersby kept their distance.
But this year was a little different. And I wonder if, years ago, the decorating of the trees came to more closely resemble yesterday. I wonder if, over time, the decorating of the trees was part of the healing.
I would never compare the last year to what residents of Woodhaven went through 100 years ago, but I think the healing effects of the trees works just as well now as it did a century ago.
It was really good seeing a bunch of friendly faces again in person, not via a computer screen. It felt good to be together again, setting off to complete a job and seeing it all the way through.
To be honest, I really didn’t have to do much. I decorated the first tree as an example, and the group took it from there.
Instead, I was able to amble along and just enjoy everyone’s company. And as they moved from tree to tree, I was struck by the tone in conversation. It was quiet and respectful, but there was also a happy tone, people enjoying one another’s company once again.
As I walked along, I began thinking that if the tradition itself was far removed from us, the people we were honoring were not.
They lived in our houses. If they turned up alive in 2021, most of them would be able to bring you to the very homes they grew up in.
They went to the same schools and churches we go to. They rode the same elevated train we do, though it was just a few years old at the time.
They walked the same streets we do, and they would still recognize their old hometown.
And I think they would be touched to see that their loved ones were still remembered all these years later. I think they would recognize the people who decorated the trees this year as the same kinds of people that began the tradition a century before.
And that’s why this year’s decorating of the trees is one I will remember for the rest of my life. It felt wonderful to see these faces again and enjoy some healing time together in Forest Park.
It felt like the worst was behind us and we were moving forward, that everything was going to get better. It was a very good day.

Maspeth remembers the nation’s veterans

webadmin on June 1, 2021

Despite the rainy weather, dozens of veterans, community members and elected officials gathered on Saturday to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.
The annual Memorial Day tradition, led by the United Veterans & Fraternal Organizations of Maspeth, included wreath-laying ceremonies at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Elmhurst Park, the World War I Memorial at Garlinge Triangle, and the monument at Memorial Square, where 128 of Maspeth’s war dead are remembered.
“These brave souls deserve our gratitude,” said Ken Rudzewick, a veteran and longtime member of the organization who hosted the day’s events. “It’s because of them and the many Americans who went before them that we enjoy the great nation we live in today.”
Assemblyman Brian Barnwell acknowledged that his generation often forgets the sacrifices that were made by older veterans.
“That’s why it’s so important to do what we are doing today and share the memories of those who fought for our country,” Barnwell stressed.
Korean War veteran Constantino Carbone Jr., who helped lay the wreaths at each of the sites, noted that 36,752 American soldiers died in Korea.
“These kids gave their lives for freedom,” said Carbone, who served 15 months in combat and will be one of the grand marshals of next year’s Memorial Day Parade, which has been cancelled the last two years due to COVID. “But that’s what we were fighting for.”
Families of fallen soldiers lost in more recent wars also attended the services. Moura Hernandez and her son Juan came to Memorial Square to honor her brother Robert Rodriguez, who was only 21 when he was killed in Iraq in 2003.
Residents said the rain couldn’t dampen their commitment to pay their respects to those lives that were lost.
“They fought in the rain so we can come out in the rain to remember them.” said Marianne Kiskorne, who held a sign adorned with hearts and the words “Thank You.”
Two wreaths were later placed at the American Legion monument and the Civil War Memorial in Mount Olivet Cemetery.
Maryanna Zero, president of the United Veterans & Fraternal Organizations of Maspeth, said she feared the day would be a wash but felt proud that so many from the community participated.
“Next year we’ll have our parade,” Zero told the crowd, “a parade that is going to be not just the best of this borough, but the best of all boroughs.”

Amato, Chain to be honored at Forest Hills Memorial Day ceremony

webadmin on May 26, 2021

ER director recalls first wave of COVID cases

On Sunday, May 30, Teresa Amato will be honored at the Forest Hills Memorial Day Ceremony in Remsen Park.
Selected as one of this year’s grand marshals for her service to the community during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she is the director of the Forest Hills Emergency Room Department and a proud mother of six.
In March of last year, Forest Hills was hit with the first wave of coronavirus cases. While other hospitals in Northwell Health’s network saw a decrease in patients at the onset of the pandemic, for Long Island Jewish in Forest Hills it was the exact opposite.
Typically, the emergency room treats about 100 patients per day, but in March the hospital was taking on nearly 250 patients each and every day. Nearly all of them needed to be treated for coronavirus.
“At the height of it, 95 percent of the patients in the hospital had COVID,” Amato said. “The only sound you could hear in the department was the hissing of the oxygen.”
As patients showed up, Amato said the hospital had to quickly pivot to load balancing as it reached its capacity. Because there were no open beds for patients at Long Island Jewish, they were sent to other nearby hospitals in Northwell’s network.
Amato remembers the “cavalry” of ambulances that helped transfer patients, idling outside the hospital in a line that was so long it wrapped around the entire block.
“You have to have three things to take care of patients,” she said. “You need the space, the staff, and the equipment. We just ran out of space.”
For the first few weeks the entire hospital was running on adrenaline, according to Amato. However, she started to notice signs of fatigue among the staff as time went on.
“Everybody was laser-focused in the beginning,” Amato said. “But as the bombs keep coming and you don’t get sleep and you start to understand the danger, that constant adrenaline paralyzes you.”
The most important thing for her as a leader was to be adaptable, according to Amato. Her office became a changing room for healthcare workers overnight.
Personal protective equipment, like masks and face shields, were stacked up high in boxes along the walls.
The space also served as a place for healthcare workers to decompress during their long shifts and a charging hub for iPads that enabled patients to connect with their loved ones.
Amato recalls an elderly patient who just wanted to see the garden in her backyard one more time before she died.
“Those conversations were really tough and a lot to witness repeatedly,” said Amato. “You really were the eyes and ears to their family, and it felt like you were witnessing a sacred moment.”
When morale was low at the hospital, Amato said she could always turn to the community for support. She is grateful for the validation that the banging of pots and pans from nearby housing gave her nurses, and remembers being in her office the first time she heard people cheering.
“I was so used to everything being wrong, so I ran out of my office and people were screaming thank you and clapping,” Amato said. “It was a real boost.”
Amato worked around the clock until the situation was under control. After six straight weeks of working at the hospital without leaving, she decided to go home and visit her family for the first time since the pandemic began.
The first wave had already peaked at that time, but many including herself were just beginning to wrap their head around the situation.
“I went for a walk with my kids, and I ran into some women that I’m friends with that also live in my part of Queens,” Amato recalled. “They said they’ve seen stuff in the news about COVID, so they asked me how it really was. I didn’t even know what to say or how to explain, it’s like sharing a war story.”

Chain to serve as Grand Marshal
Heidi Harrison Chain will be honored this Sunday, May 30, at Remsen Park during this year’s Forest Hills Memorial Day Celebration.
Serving as the president of the 112th Precinct Community Council for over a decade, she is a lifelong resident of Queens. She will serve as one of the event’s grand marshals.
“As a daughter of a WWII veteran, to be honored in this capacity is a momentous moment that I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” she said. “I’ve participated in this parade for years upon years, so it’s really nice. I can imagine my father will be smiling down on me.”
Chain grew up in Rego Park but now lives in Forest Hills. She serves as a liaison between the local police force and the community.
Her focus is on outreach and providing essential information to residents of the precinct, from run-of-the-mill matters like changes to speed limits to more pressing issues like details on crime suspects.
Chain believes it’s essential to engage Forest Hills through whatever means possible, even if that’s digitally.
“The precinct council has a particularly important relationship to the people because its function is to be an intermediary,” she said. “In order for that to happen people have to be able to easily get a hold of you.”
During the pandemic, that’s exactly what happened. The council shifted gears quickly to address food insecurity because a lot of people were afraid to go outside and get groceries.
“In extreme emergencies cops actually went out and brought food to people’s homes,” Chain said.
Chain believes the annual Memorial Day celebration, which pre-pandemic included a parade down Metropolitan Avenue, is sacred to the spirit of the country and Forest Hills community.
“What we have to do as a society is honor those that died in service of our country so that everybody else can live in freedom,” she said. “We need to understand and honor the people who gave their lives.”

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