10 APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2013 A worthwhile trip to Ecuador! BY MELISA STUMPF [email protected] A group of youngsters will be visiting Ecuador this summer and sharing the strength of their two hands to help construct homes for families without adequate housing. For the second year, Trinity Lutheran Church, in Sunset Park, has joined the efforts of Adopta una Familia (AUF), a United States-based non-profit organization that partners with local leaders in Ecuador, as part of an annual mission aimed at improving access to quality housing, education and healthcare. “I think it’s wonderful for our young people to have the spirit of civic and moral commitment; not only are they helping people locally, but also internationally,” said Reverend Samuel Cruz, explaining that Associate Pastor Vanessa Cardinale began taking the group when she was young. A team in Ecuador. “It was a good experience for her and now that she’s at Trinity, we have decided to join in on the efforts,” he added. Photo courtesy of Trinity Lutheran Church The program has a solid history. What started in 1999 with 28 members and friends of the First Congregational Church, in Connecticut leaving for Guayaquil , Ecuador, has 14 years later grown into a multi-tiered program “that has that has enriched the lives of hundreds of people in Ecuador and North America,” according to AUF’s website. A total of 50 youngsters and adults will be flying to South America this year from Trinity Lutheran and other churches. “They don’t finish the whole home; it’s important to know that these are very basic homes,” remarked Cruz. Join the congregation on April 19 as they get together at 8 p.m. to raise money for the trip. “Having fun while raising funds,” Cruz called it. They will be hosting a dance fundraiser featuring “Abrazos Orchestra,” with tickets costing only $20. Proceeds will go directly towards travel costs and construction supplies. For more information, visit www.aufecuador. org. The church is located at 411 46th Street. Save the date! SUNSET PARK MAN MURDERS GIRLFRIEND, ATTEMPTS SUICIDE BY DENISE ROMANO [email protected] Sunset Park’s 51st Street between Third and Fourth Avenues was the scene of a grisly crime on Saturday, April 6. Two officers from the 72nd Precinct responded to a report of an assault in front of 336 51st Street at 10:28 a.m. The block is tree-lined and sleepy, with a branch of the Brooklyn Public Library on the corner. When the cops arrived, they discovered a 31-year-old white female, Tara Beardsall, on the sidewalk with a stab wound to her neck. Upon further investigation, police discovered the suspect, Alex Santiago, a 44-year-old white Hispanic male, inside the building with a stab wound to his neck. EMS responded and transported the victim and suspect to Lutheran Medical Center, where Beardsall was pronounced dead. According to a police source, Santiago has several prior arrests and a history of domestic violence. Further investigation as to the reason why he tried to kill himself is ongoing. “It’s a domestic incident that unfortunately went bad,” said Captain James Grant, commanding officer of the 72nd Precinct, adding that Santiago was charged with second degree murder and is still recovering at Lutheran. He told attendees of the 72nd Precinct Community Council meeting, gathered at the precinct for the April meeting, not to be alarmed. “This was an isolated incident,” Grant said. Grant went on to say that the Police Department has increased its efforts to combat domestic violence. This year, the NYPD launched a database that keeps better records of domestic violence incidents. Officers have already received training on how to operate the new database. Grant noted that Beardsall did report previous incidents of violence to police, but since she gave a Manhattan address, Santiago was never on their radar. BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photo by Denise Romano This unassuming building at 336 51st Street was the scene of a grisly murder and attempted suicide on Saturday, April 6.
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