by Jerry Burke
Well, every failed prom deserves a second chance, right? Frank Russo Jr., the owner of Russo's on the Bay, the catering hall forced to cancel the prom due to the outage, sure thought so. Not only was the $75 ticket charge to the event refunded for each of the more than 400 prom-goers, but a makeup prom on Wednesday, July 16 was on the house.
Thanks to the efforts of parents, Russo's and a few local businesses, the disappointment of a promless high school experience was replaced by smiling faces at a much more pleasant night to remember.
Jeremy McMilleon, a manager at Russo's on the Bay in Howard Beach, said last week that the students would pay nothing for the July 16 makeup. "My boss [Russo Jr.] decided to give it back to the kids at a loss, on top of the loss from the first prom," said McMilleon. Russo's delivered, complete with a disc jockey, food and beverages as well as transportation for the students. Dozens of limousines lined the parking lot at West Hempstead High School starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, the rendezvous point for the trek to the Howard Beach party hall.
"It was really great," said Joe Pontecorvo of Island Park, whose son Joseph attended the event. "The staff at Russo's couldn't have been nicer and the kids had a great time." Pontecorvo said about 70 percent of the students were able to make the re-prom, with some already having made summer travel plans. "On behalf of the seniors, parents and whoever else was involved, a lot of people have to be thanked for making the 2003 senior prom a success," he said.
One West Hempstead resident, who requested that her name be withheld, also wanted to give thanks to Ray's Formal Wear of Franklin Square. Her son, a guest at the prom, rented from another tuxedo business and was told he could not get a refund for the first prom. "He responded negatively until last week, when he offered them tuxedos at $75 to $100 for a Wednesday night, when so many tuxedos are in demand," she said sarcastically.
That's when she contacted Ray's. "I had been informed that all the young men who rented tuxedos from there were told right away that if the prom was rescheduled they would receive their tuxedo complimentary," she said. After calling Jennifer Miller, third-generation owner and operator of the formal wear establishment along with her husband, Ned, the mother was ecstatic to hear what she had to say. "Her first response was, 'Bring in your son's receipt; it will be free of charge," she said.
"Being in high school, the prom is one of the most important experiences you can have," said Miller, who ended up refitting 12 young men for the prom. "We're part of the community and think they deserved to have those memories."
According to Con Edison spokespeople, a burnt-out set of underground cables were the culprit June 26. They caused a five-block-wide power outage at about 6 p.m., an hour before the prom was to commence at Russo's. The outage affected about 6,400 customers in the Howard Beach and Richmond Hill areas. Students waited out the blackout for about an hour before finally, and disappointedly, giving up.
The management of Russo's said the students were not allowed into the restaurant as the sun went down because of safety concerns. Power was finally restored a little after 11 p.m., three hours after the event was canceled. The catering hall says it has tried, so far in vain, to get more answers from the utility giant as to what can be done to prevent such calamities in the future.
