Family Day A Successful Community Celebration

More than 1,500 people attended Family Appreciation Day in the St. Mark’s schoolyard on Sunday, scarfing down 3,000 hamburgers and hot dogs.

Attendees came from all across the Sheepshead Bay neighborhood to enjoy a day of rides, raffles and giveaways. About half a dozen community groups were manning tables around the perimeter, informing neighbors of local activities and services.

The event – open to all – appeared to more accurately reflect Sheepshead Bay’s diversity than previous years, according to organizer Robert Fernandez.

“It was good to see more community presence this year,” Fernandez said. “I noticed Muslims in head scarfs and Jews in yarmulkes going on the rides. I heard a lot more Russian being spoken on the grounds than I ever have before.”

Fernandez didn’t plan the event alone. He had help from a planning committee that included Mary Anne Mung, Michael Davis, Tom Kubat, Mary Frances Muldoon, Irene Montano, Christina Escobar and George Donnelly. Not to mention more than 100 volunteers who kept the day going.

Small children bounced the day away in an inflatable castle, while older attendees got their thrills on an enormous slide representing a sinking Titanic – where riders descended into icy waters.

Family Appreciation Day is seen by St. Mark’s as a give-back to the community and a day to celebrate not only the parish, but the entire neighborhood of Sheepshead Bay. Any fees that were charged were used only to cover costs and not benefit the church.

In addition to booming music and snacks, demonstrations were performed by students of T Kang Karate.

Local politicians didn’t miss the party either. Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz honored the parish and Father Grimaldi with a proclamation recognizing the church on its 150th anniversary of serving the Sheepshead Bay neighborhood. State Senator Marty Golden spoke about the need to support Catholic churches as “Catholicism is under attack across the world.”