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Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | While our fellow OFC brothers and sisters in the South were having fun at Asheville, some of us in the Northeast had a gathering of our own [well sorta].
Special thanks to Mitchrx, along with the Elks for making the event at the VA Hospital possible. It was a great day of fun, food, and music entertainment for a very good cause. I'm appreciative of the opportunity that you had given me to play along during and in between your sets, and be able to share my talents [if any] with the veterans.
Also, thanks Phil for being supportive during this event. I'm glad to finally be formally introduced to your wife, Pearl, and your wonderful youngsters. Looks like they all had a great time as well.
The veterans were a very cheerful and appreciative crowd ... I got to meet the folks from last year, as well as new ones this year. Listened to more interesting war stories -- from the barracks to the front lines -- it's amazing to note that they've been very humorous about it.
It was a great day overall, and hopefully, there would be more gatherings to come. |
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July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | Mitch: extend my thanks to Craig as well. One of these days, I should check out the place where he frequently perform. |
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June 2003
Posts: 1792
Location: Rego Park, NY, | Thanks to Mitch, Gil and Craig for a great time.
This was the third get together of the weekend for OFC members. As usual I had my camera. Mitch asked me to take photos of the Elks lodge members. I also photographed some of the vets for the hospital.
Phil |
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August 2006
Posts: 3145
Location: Marlton, NJ | Phil - is this the Elk Lodge on Queens Blvd.? If so, I have a couple of memorable experiences from there. |
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June 2003
Posts: 1792
Location: Rego Park, NY, | The Elks lodge is still there but I don't know which chapter Mitch is associated with, Mitch?
Phil |
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June 2003
Posts: 1792
Location: Rego Park, NY, | Gil,
You are way to modest about your talent. I think Cliff already put your name on the top of the list for next years Ski Sundown Jam if it happens. ;) :D
Phil |
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July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | Mike [CrimsonLake],
One of my clients reside in Elmhurst, and I drive by Queens Blvd. almost everyday. The Elks Lodge that you're referring to is still there, but beyond that, there's nothing else I know about it. I think Mitch belongs to the one by New Hyde Park, but only he knows the answer to that. :)
Phil,
Three separate OFC get-togethers in one weekend ... it sure sounded very busy. Once again, it was great meeting your family that day, and my warmest thanks for the compliment.
Honestly, I never considered myself that competent as a guitar player. I played guitar mostly as an accompanying instrument. One thing I have some confidence about is my ability to sing and carry a tune, so when I get the chance to perform in front of an audience [which is hardly ever], I tend to give the vocals more importance over the guitar playing. I like get-togethers, but I usually prefer to admire everyone's talents from a distance, and enjoy the music as both listener and audience. :) |
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August 2006
Posts: 3145
Location: Marlton, NJ | Gil... cut it out. You were the hilight of the lobby. Even though there was only a few of us left. And a few were sober. But you were still great (playing and singing) :D
So one of my barely memorable experiences with the elks lodge on Queens blvd. happened at the very end of my bachelor party. I lived in Woodside at the time and the limo dropped us off in front of the lodge. A few of us decided it would be fun to actually ride the elk - which we proceeded to do. Some other drunken person came along claiming to be a photographer and had us all pose up there for pictures. It was the end of a very good evening... and single life for that matter. |
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Posts: 1792
Location: Rego Park, NY, | I also had an inciden in fron tof the Elks Lodge that alo involved a man that was drunk. I was not married yet and Pearl's parents live on 75th street between Broadway and Woodside Ave and I was and still am living in Rego Park. I left Pearl's house about 9:30pm and was headed home. I stopped at the red light at the Sage dinner(now The Pop dinner). I could see in the distance that a man who appeared to drunk was walking/teetering on the island/divider that separated the express and local lane of the blvd.
When the light turned green I kept an eye on him and decided to proceed slowly as I approached him. Just as I approached him, he fell backward on to my front bumper. Needless to saw I was really scared. I got out and told the man to stay on the ground until the police and ambulance arrived. I told the police what happened. I will never forget that the officer's last name was Coffee. The police officers looked at my front bumper and to my relief they believed my statement. They told me that if I initated the contact even at 5 miles per hour my bumper would be show some sign of damage and there was none. The police could tell that the man was drunk. The ambulance came and took the man to St John's Hospital just up the street. During all of this another accident happened diagonally across from me in front of Mc Donald's on the other side of the blvd. I could not sleep for a week after this happened. |
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December 2003
Posts: 1071
Location: Carle Place, NY | I am a member of the New Hyde Park Elks Lodge. I'm also the present District Deputy for the NYC and western Nassau County areas. Unforutnately, the grand Elks lodge building on Queens Blvd was sold by that lodge three years ago. It still looks like an Elks lodge and will continue to do so because it is a landmarked building. The large brass sculpture of the elk is part of the landmark. The building now is a church. |
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August 2006
Posts: 3145
Location: Marlton, NJ | Mitch - I guess it's being put to good use then. Back when I lived in Woodside, my roommate belonged to that lodge - I remember going back there after softball games for the 25 cent beers and just hanging out and talking to the oldtimers that were always there. |
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June 2003
Posts: 1792
Location: Rego Park, NY, | CrimsonLake,
I drove by the lodge last night and tried to imagine you sitting on the Elk.  |
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Thanks Mitch and Phil -- that was fun!
