It’s that time of year again!

For those of you who are new, welcome! I have created a team, Kaitie’ s Comrades, that walks each year in the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Great Strides event to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis is a life threatening, genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. Much progress has been made toward finding a cure for CF, however, the CF Foundation’ s work is far from over, as precious young lives continue to be lost to this disease every day. Last year, Kaitie’ s Comrades raised well over $5,000. I am pleased to announce that as a result of such funding, the FDA just approved(2-22-10) a new inhaled antibiotic for the treatment of lung infections suffered only by CF patients. I hope its better than the last drug I used, TOBI, which makes you lose your voice and costs $5,000/month. As mentioned, progress is being made, but we are still far from a cure.

Kaitie’s Comrades will be walking again this year on May 16, 2010 in Cadman Plaza, downtown Brooklyn, with a large group of family and friends. Please feel free to become a “Comrade” and walk with us. Collectively, we would like to raise more than $5,000, surpassing last year’s amount for vital CF research. Any donation is appreciated as it will extend many precious lives, including my own. Imagine the world without Kaitie? (HAHA ) Please remember that any contribution is 100 % tax deductible.

In order to make a donation, or become a “Comrade” and walk with our team, please click on the link below and follow the instructions. Your contribution will enable the CF Foundation to take full advantage of the tremendous opportunities in CF research that are now on the horizon. The path to finding a cure for CF is paved with numerous research opportunities – any of which could have a profound impact on my life and the lives of others with CF. However, the only thing standing in the way of a cure is the money needed to fund this life-saving research.

For returning “Comrades”, you all know what to do… so now let’s do it. LET THE FUNDRAISING BEGIN!

http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/dsp_DonationPage.cfm?walkid=6721&idUser=253563

A quick update on my condition – from last year’ s walk (5/09) to the present, I was hospitalized only 3 times (quite an improvement from the year before), each time for a week to ten days. Two out of those 3 admissions were to the ICU, the last one for respiratory failure in which now I am required to use a non invasive ventilator at night to help keep my oxygen levels up and to prevent my airways from collapsing. I am pleased to say I am doing very well now.

Thank you for your support in increasing the quality of life and future of Kaitie and her Comrades,

Kaitie Nelson
Kaitie’s Comrades

If you have not already noticed DOT has laid down the strips they use for a traffic study approaching the Channel Avenue intersection.

This study was requested by Senator Goldens office along with the Gerritsen Beach Property Owners Association for a Traffic Signal at Channel Avenue.

1st annual St Patrick’s Day Parade Gerritsen Beach
In Memory of Thomas G. Donovan

Date: Saturday, March 13, 2010
Time: 11:00am – 1:00pm
Location: Gerritsen Ave and Whitney Ave

1st annual St Patricks Day Parade Gerritsen Beach.

Via the Facebook Invite:

The parade is in honor/memory of my father who was involved with marching bands all his life for the community. We will step off @ 12:00pm Saturday March 13th in front of the VFW hall on Gerritsen Ave. The parade will continue down Gerritsen Ave and end at the Knights of Columbus. All are welcome, we will be assembling at 11:00am.

After the parade we will have a few places to go, The KofC, and the Hibernians hall.

Happy Wednesday! 7 Days until St. Patrick’s Day

Next week is St. Patrick’s day, and being a working class neighborhood with Irish neighbors, what are your St. Patrick’s Day Plans? A party that Wednesday? A party the weekend before or the weekend after? or are you already partying?

Then there is a story a brewing in Queens (via the daily news)where a mother is complaining about an irish t-shirt stereotype. The store eventually pulled the shirt off their shelf’s which said: ‘I may not be an Irish girl but I drink like one’. What do you think?

• Friday, March 12th  – 9pm: Karaoke with Stu
• Saturday , March 13th -  10pm: March Madness Party
  • with D.J. Combat and the Mirror Mirror Band
• Wednesday, March 17th – All Day:  St Patrick’s Day Celebration
  • Free Corned Beef All Day
  • 3pm Kiddie Karaoke
  • 5pm Cathy O’Brien Preforms Irish Melodies
  • 8pm “Alive-N-Kickin” Rocks St. Patrick’s Day
• Friday, March 19th – 9pm: D.J. Farrelli
• Saturday, March 20th – 10pm: The “Electrix” Band
  • Allman Bros. to Grateful Dead
• Friday, March 26th – 9pm: Karoake with Vinny

For the 2010-2011 School Year
Until March 12th 2010

Monday – Friday
8:30am – 1:00pm
2:00pm – 3:00pm

Required Documents

1. Proof of age (original birth certificate, Passport or original baptismal certificate)
2. Two proofs of address (mortgage statement, utility bill, health card.

Drivers License, telephone or cable are NOT acceptable proofs of address.

D’Amato’s father, George D’Amato Sr., told the Post his son “had minor scrapes with the law, nothing serious.” He added: “I am retired law-enforcement myself. I know what it’s like. I can’t blame the officer. He did what he had to do.”

• Police Kill Man Carrying a Fake Gun at a School – New York Times
• NYPD cops shoot, kill man pointing toy gun after he refuses orders to drop it – New York Daily News
• Fatal Police-Involved Shooting Outside Elementary School – New York’s PIX11 / WPIX-TV
• Cops kill man who pulled a fake gun – New York Post
• Cops kill Gerritsen Beach youth – YourNabe.com
• Man holding fake gun fatally shot near NYC school – The Associated Press
• Father Of Man Shot By NYPD: Cop “Did What He Had To Do” – Gothamist

There is a Facebook group named “R.I.P. George!” up with friends exchanging kind words of remembrance.

This could be bad news for Gerritsen Beach as the suspect does live in the area.

George “Pedro” D’Amato of Ebony Ct. a Gerritsen Beach resident was shot and killed by officers in front of PS 194.

NYPD Details:

On Monday March 8, 2010 at approximately 1510 hours, in the rear of 3117 Avenue W (P.S. 194), in the confines of the 61 Precinct, police received a 911 call of a man with a gun. Upon arrival, a uniformed police officer encountered a M/W/22 who pointed what appeared to be a silver handgun at the officer. The officer discharged three (3) rounds, striking the suspect. EMS transported the suspect to Coney Island Hospital where he is pronounced dead at 1611 hours. The Investigation is ongoing.

The gun used was a pellet gun painted silver and black.

The Zebra Super Shot pellet gun is an automatic “pistol” that shoots 50 shots in one loading. The “ammo” is soft, small plastic balls. Great fun for target practice. Not recommended for children under 8 years of age, as the balls could pose a choking hazard

George Damato was recently arrested, for:
PL 120.15 00 B Misdemeanor, 1 count, Not an arrest charge, Arraignment charge
Description Menacing 3rd

PL 145.05 02
**TOP CHARGE** E Felony, 1 count, Arrest charge, Arraignment charge
Description Crim Mischief 3:property> $250

PL 145.00 01 A Misdemeanor, 1 count, Not an arrest charge, Arraignment charge
Description Crm Mis:intnt Dmge Prprty

PL 195.05 00 A Misdemeanor, 1 count, Not an arrest charge, Arraignment charge
Description Obstrct Gvrnmntl Admn 2nd

PL 240.20 01 Violation, 1 count, Not an arrest charge, Arraignment charge
Description Dis/con:fight/violent Beh

PL 240.26 01 Violation, 1 count, Not an arrest charge, Arraignment charge
Description Harassment 2nd- Phy Contact

The Gerritsen Beach Property Owners March meeting nothing much happened. The meeting started a little after 7:30, was lightly attended (a few board members are hospitalized), and ended in under 20 minutes.

20 Minutes?! Really? This was mostly due to the fact that the MTA Brooklyn meeting was on the same day and most or all of our local pols were at the meeting – talking before the public.

The census bureau was there announcing they are still hiring.

Kiddie Beach is planning a ton of kid friendly and family friendly events including but not limited to.

• Teen Dances
• An Open Mic Band Night
• Rockband Night (video game)
• Chinese Auction
• Chili Cookoff

There is nothing of substance to report, not even the 61st was there on time, they did however show up while everyone was cleaning up and gave an impromptu briefing. They did acknowledged the Xanax arrest, and a few other possession charges at seba avenue park. Surprisingly, There was another arrest worth mentioning, another beach “kid” (born 1987) mugging people by pushing people to the ground and stealing their bags. This occurred in the beach, on Ocean Avenue, and in Park Slope.

There will also be a St. Patricks day parade on March 13th stepping off at 12:00 pm from the VFW.

From March Property Owners Meeting

The white color of the neighborhood is from the fresh sand landfill. Notice the houses in the lower right corner along the water. Many such houses are evident along the shore of today’s golf course near Flatbush Ave and along Plumb Beach before the Belt Parkway was built.

Note the bridge across Ave U (left side of photo) as the creek extended well into the current park area today. What is known locally as “Mau Mau Island” was not created yet and the creek took a much different shape.