8 APRIL 20, 2017 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM Half-court shots to help autism group BY ANTHONY GIUDICE [email protected] @A_GIUDICEREPORT You can earn the chance to sink a half-court shot and win $10,000, all while helping a local autism awareness group in Middle Village this month. April is Autism Awareness Month, and Play4Autism is hosting a “10K Halfcourt Shootout” contest at Middle Village Playground on 79th Street between 69th Avenue and 68th Road on Saturday, April 29, at 4 p.m. to raise money to eventually get a center where they can hold their events and equipment for their activities to get “Kidz into Action.” “It’s Autism Awareness Month, so we’re helping spread awareness of autism with community support to help raise money for us to get a center,” said Greg Vasicek, president and founder of Play4Autism. “It helps put the kids in action by getting equipment and things like that.” Raffle tickets for a chance at the $10,000 prize are $20 each or three for $50 until April 28, with a three ticket limit per person. Aft er that date tickets will be $50 each, Vasicek said. Five individuals who purchased raffl e tickets will be chosen at random to take part in the free throw elimination tournament, where the last person standing will earn their chance to take one single half-court shot — no practice shots — to win $10,000. Vasicek noted that “half-court” will be set to National Basketball Association (NBA) and Odds On Promotions standards and regulations, as to avoid any confusion. Anyone of any age can purchase a raffl e ticket to participate, except current or past professional and National Team players or anyone currently playing high school varsity or college basketball. Participants must have not played high school and/or college basketball for at least fi ve years, Vasicek said. The raffl e drawing will take place at Middle Village Playground at 3:30 p.m., with the free throw elimination tournament and subsequent half-court shot to start at 4 p.m. Tickets available for Play4Autism’s April 23 Autism Awareness Day 2017 with the NYC Football Club at Yankee Stadium, plus the “A Night of Comedy” event at Pat’s Sports Bar in Middle Village on Saturday, April 22, as well as the First Annual Golfi ng 4 Autism Tournament on August 12, at Kissena Park Golf Course in Fresh Meadows. For more information about any and all of Play4Autism’s events call 718-440- 9863 or visit www.play4autism.org. Queens business groups get funding for major projects Four community organizations in Queens received funding to bolster their commercial corridors. BY ANTHONY GIUDICE [email protected] @A_GIUDICEREPORT Four Queens community organizations received a share of $1 million in grant awards to use to complete neighborhood development projects meant to boost commercial corridors in underserved neighborhoods as part of the city’s “Avenue NYC” Initiative. The NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) is funding Photos courtesy the 82nd Street Partnership 34 total neighborhood development projects across New York City with grants up to $30,000 to help support and grow vibrant commercial corridors. The funding will be used for projects that include business attraction/retention, façade improvements, merchant organizing, and placemaking. In Queens, the 82nd Street Partnership in Jackson Heights will use their funding to develop a rewards program with participating businesses and orchestrate seasonal events to encourage local residents to explore and shop at the many businesses within the district, which runs from 37th Avenue to Baxter Avenue along 82nd Street. The Rockaway Business Alliance will begin recruiting members and organizing meetings to revitalize the existing merchants within the Arverne, Edgemere, Hammels and Rockaway Beach neighborhoods. Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District (BID) will create marketing collateral to promote and celebrate the diverse array of independent restaurants and cultural activities along Queens Boulevard. Finally, the Queens Economic Development Corporation (QEDC) will use funds to coordinate interactive programming in Woodside and Corona Plaza to connect residents with businesses. “The Avenue NYC initiative is investing in local, community-based organizations to help strengthen and preserve small business corridors across our city,” said Gregg Bishop, NYC Department of SBS commissioner. “Small businesses are an essential part of building vibrant neighborhoods, and the grants we are awarding today will help meet tailored, local needs.” Eat hot dogs in Midville to help fi ght cancer BY ANTHONY GIUDICE [email protected] @A_GIUDICEREPORT Come take a bite out of cancer and support the Middle Village Relay for Life at a hot dog eating contest fundraiser at Pat’s Sports Bar in Middle Village later this month. Participants will gather on Sunday, April 30, at 3 p.m. at Pat’s Sports Bar located at 73-13 Metropolitan Ave. to put their speed eating skills to the test as they try to eat a set number of hot dogs in the fastest time. “This is not going to be like the Coney Island hot dog contest where you see how many hot dogs you can eat in a set amount of time,” said Len Santoro, the event’s organizer and member of the Middle Village Relay for Life. “We will have a set number of hot dogs, probably 10, and they we will see who can eat them the fastest.” Each participant will compete separately, and each hot dog must be fully consumed to count. The times will be kept secret until all participants have competed. So far the fundraiser has fi ve contestants, but they are looking for more. All amateur eaters are eligible to participate in the contest. There is a $15 entrance fee, and the fastest eater will win half of the money raised during the event. However, if the winning participant is part of a Relay for Life team, their winnings will go toward their team’s total funds. The other half of the money raised will go toward the Middle Village Relay for Life organization, Santoro said. There will also be a number of raffl es and door prizes to be won including a basket donated by Pat’s Sports Bar, a cooler for sporting events, Relay for Life goodies, and a 50/50. For those who want to enjoy some hot dogs, but don’t want to stuff their faces, Pat’s Sports Bar will be selling hot dogs, all of which were donated by a Middle Village Relay for Life member. All money raised through the raffl es, door prize contests, hot dog eating contest, and hot dog sales will go toward the fi nal prize pool. Anyone interested in participating in the hot dog eating contest can reach out to the Middle Village Relay for Life. The Middle Village Relay for Life will be holding their annual relay event on Saturday, June 24, at 3 p.m. to 7 a.m. on Sunday, June 25, at Juniper Valley Park in Middle Village. Anyone who wants to be a part of the Middle Village Relay for Life can contact Carol Palacio at info-carol.palacio@ cancer.org. Photo via Shutterstock Photo via Facebook/ RelayForLifeMiddleVillage
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