59.0°,
Light Rain Rockville Centre goes green this Saturday
St. Patrick's Parade at noon — followed by a St. Baldrick's event
The 16th annual Rockville Centre St. Patrick's Parade will step off at 12 p.m. on March 24, starting from the corner of Maple Avenue and North Long Beach Road, proceeding down Maple Avenue past Village Hall and ending at North Village Avenue. It follows a commemorative Mass at St. Agnes Cathedral at 9 a.m.
This year's grand marshal, the first woman to lead the parade, is Rockville Centre businesswoman Kathleen Alcock, owner of Kathleen's of Donegal at 10 North Park Avenue. Organizers expect at least 118 different organizations to march this year.
An incorporated not-for-profit organization that has distributed more than $676,000 to 45 charities since its inception, the parade, which is known as “The Parade That Cares and Shares,” has chosen The Association for Children with Down Syndrome, Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities and the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island as its three charities this year. Visit www.rvcstpatrick.com for more information.
At the suggestion of Rockville Centre Fire Chief John Busching, Anthony Geraci, owner of Kasey’s Kitchen & Cocktails, spearheaded a collection from other bar owners to rent an extra ambulance for the village during the St. Patrick’s parade. “We don’t want to drag an ambulance to a bar situation and take it away from the residents of Rockville Centre,” Geraci said. The ambulance rental costs nearly $1,700, and so far the bars have raised nearly $1,000. In addition to Kasey’s, the other establishments to contribute were: RJ Daniels American Grille, MacArthur Park Restaurant, The Dark Horse Tavern, McFadden’s, Stinger’s Irish Pub and Press 195.
Immediately following the parade is the Rockville Centre St. Baldrick’s fundraiser, from 1-6 p.m. in the St. Agnes Parish Center. A fun, family head-shaving event to raise money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which funds life-saving childhood cancer research, there is free admission and live music, food, a cash bar, raffles and activities for the kids. To register as a shavee, pledge a shavee, or donate, visit www.StBaldricks.org. To volunteer, donate food or raffles or for more information, contact Alanna Bender at benderalanna@gmail. Or at (516) 697-6383.
