36 FEBRUARY 9 - FEBRUARY 15, 2018 BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP
St. Pat's honors city's first line of defense
at now-annual First Responder's Day
BY MEAGHAN MCGOLDRICK
MMCGOLDRICK@BROOKLYNREPORTER.COM
St. Patrick Catholic Academy
hosted another successful “First
Responders Day” – a school-wide
event that pays tribute to members of
the NYPD, FDNY, EMS and DSNY – on
Friday, February 2.
The morning started with a special
mass, celebrated by St. Patrick’s pastor
Monsignor Michael Hardiman, and
attended by the school’s entire student
body, faculty, parents who are first
responders and members of the 68th
Precinct. Students participated in the
mass by taking part in the procession,
singing in the choir and altar serving.
“We look up to first responders
because you respond to the needs
of people. And in that way, you are
emblematic of what it means to be a
Christian,” Monsignor Hardiman told
the crowd.
Following the mass, a reception was
held inside the school for all of the first
responders and their families.
“I love this day,” said Gina Keenan,
who teaches seventh grade social
studies at St. Pat’s, where she, herself,
once went. Her husband, Kevin, who
works for NYPD Harbor Control, was
present for First Responders Day as
well as their two children, Shannon
and Matthew, both of whom are students
at St. Pat’s. “It’s such a wonderful
way to honor our first responders.
“Daddy’s visit,” she said, was the
highlight of her kids’ week. “They
couldn’t wait.”
St. Patrick’s Principal
Kathleen Curatolo
brought back First
Responders’ Day last
year due, in part,
to her close family
connection with our
city’s bravest. She
has four brothers,
including one police officer and three
firefighters. One of Curatolo’s brothers
died on September 11, 2001.
Of this year’s event – the second
under her leadership – Curatolo said
there were more parents participating
than ever before.
“My favorite part is when the kids read
and their parents are right there next to
them,” she said. “It’s a really special day
for everyone here at St. Pat’s.”
For first responders, the day
was even more meaningful.
“I think it’s really great that
the school thinks it’s important
to honor first
responders. It’s really
telling of what
the people of this
community mean
to the school,” said
Thomas Casatelli, a
retired firefighter.
“It’s one of the main
reasons I want
to send my kids
here, that sense of
community.”
When one fourth
grade class was
asked if they wanted to grow up to
become first responders, at least half
the room raised their hands.
New York Chapter of National
Academy of Elder Law
Attorneys had new prez
Ronald Fatoullah has
been elected president
of the New
York Chapter of the
National Academy of
Elder Law Attorneys
for 2018.
Joining Fatoullah as
officers of the group are
President Elect Joseph
Greenman, Vice President
Richard Marchese,
Treasurer Fern Finkel,
Secretary Tammy Lawlor
and Immediate Past
President Neil Rimsky.
On the Board of
Directors are Jay
Robert, Scott Silverberg,
Kristin Jonsson,
Frank Buquicchio,
Natalie Kaplan, Britt
Burner, Ellyn Kravitz,
Betsy Klampert, Anthony
Lamberti and
Pauline Yeung Ha.
Photo courtesy of Ronald
Fatoullah & Associates
Ronald
Fatoullah.
HGAR and LIBOR prepare
groundwork for creating new
regional Multiple Listing Service for
the New York metro area
The framework for forming a
new Multiple Listing Service
(MLS) to serve the New York
metro area including Westchester,
Putnam, Rockland and Orange
Counties, as well as the Bronx,
Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens,
Nassau and Suffolk Counties has
been agreed upon by the Hudson
Gateway Association of REALTORS®
(HGAR) and the Long Island Board
of REALTORS® (LIBOR).
The newly formed regional MLS
would consist of approximately
36,000 Realtor® subscribers.
In June 2017, leaders of HGAR and
LIBOR, along with their multiple
listing service leadership, met to
discuss the possibility of forming a
regional MLS to serve the New York
metro area.
The group agreed to explore
a structure that would achieve
several key goals prompted by
evolving broker expectations
mandating that MLSs change their
strategies to satisfy member needs
for more accurate and robust data
across a larger geographic area.
“A primary objective is to create
a seamless flow of data for brokers
and agents within the New York
metro area,” said Richard Haggerty,
HGAR CEO.
Both Realtor® groups look forward
to obtaining final approvals
from their boards of directors
within the next six months.
“The new MLS would improve
services resulting in operational
efficiencies, increased economies
of scale and enhanced technology,
that will enable members to better
serve the buying and selling public.”
said Joseph Mottola, LIBOR
CEO.
BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photos by Meaghan McGoldrick
Scenes from St. Patrick’s First Responders Day
event.