34 NOVEMBER 17 - NOVEMBER 23, 2017 BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP
Coney Island USA holds Soirée of Surf:
The 1208 Centennial celebration
#DimeGivesBack with new
social media initiative
BY MEAGHAN MCGOLDRICK
MMCGOLDRICK@BROOKLYNREPORTER.
COM
Dime Community Bank — an
institution founded in
1864 in Williamsburg that
has dug its roots even deeper in
the borough ever since — is giving
back this holiday season by asking,
"What are you thankful for?"
Dime — which opened a brand
new branch in Park Slope and
another in Williamsburg earlier
this year — is very grateful for its
customers and for the ability to
serve its local communities for
over 150 years. To show that, the
local institution has launched the
#DimeGivesBank initiative, which
supports the deserving charities in
its customers' neighborhoods.
Here's how it works. Snap a quick
selfie or record a quick video either
saying or holding up a sign that explains
what you're thankful for this
year, be it your health, your loved
ones, your job — anything, really.
From there, post it to Facebook,
Twitter or Instagram with the
hashtag #DimeGivesBack, and Dime
will make a financial donation ($10
per picture, $15 per video) to a charity
of your choice. Just designate it in
the caption! (And be sure to make
your viewing settings for the snapshot
public!)
For more information, or to see
which charities Dime supports
(though they'll make the donation
to whichever you choose),
visit www.dime.com/home/
about/community-involvement/
dime-gives-back.
BY JAIME DEJESUS
JDEJESUS@BROOKLYNREPORTER.COM
It was a celebration 100 years in the
making.
On Saturday, November 11,
Coney Island celebrated its Soirée of
Surf: The 1208 Centennial celebration.
Several attendees gathered Coney
Island USA, 1208 Surf Avenue, at 7 p.m.
for an evening that celebrated Coney’s
oldest landmarked building with a fall
benefit gala.
According to Coney Island USA,
the purpose of the evening was also
to honor the Coney Island Museum
for preserving the seaside neighborhood's
rich history.
“Since 1917, a variety of well-known
and often infamous attractions have
called 1208 Surf home,” wrote Coney
Island USA. “Through every incarnation,
the building remained a place
where visitors from all walks of life
were welcome.”
The evening included
food provided by one
of Coney's newest additions,
Kitchen 21, as well
as drinks, music and
surprises, such as an
illustrated presentation
in the museum by CIUSA Founder
and Artistic Director Dick Zigun on
the history of 1208 Surf Avenue: 100
years of amusing the masses in the
heart of the People’s Playground.
Ashton Warren created a Coney Island
USA Centennial Birthday Cake for the
occasion.
The evening capped off with A
Grand All Star Variety Show Salute to
the building's history hosted by Adam
Realman, featuring Circus Amok's
Jennifer Miller, The Great Fredini,
Mat Fraser, Chicava Honeychild, Justin
Weber, the Coney Island Bathing
Beauties–Kita St. Cyr, Clara Coquette,
Beelzebabe, Dolly Would and Oya the
Animal, Tiny D, the Apple Boys and
more.
BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photos by Arthur de Gaeta
Scenes from Soiree on Surf, a gala celebrating the
centennial of 1208 Surf Avenue, home to Coney
Island USA.