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By Carmine Santa Maria
Brooklyn Daily
I’m madder than an AWOL GI caught in a SNAFU over the fact that too many people are using too many abbreviations and acronyms to get their point across, and I have no idea what they are talking about!
Look, you all know that the ol’Screecher is as ol’school as they get, having grown up on the Lower East Side during a Depression that was so severe, there weren’t enough letters around to write a proper sentence.
But that doesn’t mean I’m all-in when it comes to these “LOLs” (Lots of love?), “DOTs” (Department of Taxation?), and SCUBAs (Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus?) out there that bureaucrats use all the time just to confuse you.
Let’s face it: all these abbreviations and acronyms are the death of communication, and I’m putting a stop to their use ASAP.
That’s why I love a group like Kiwanis International: because you don’t have to spend 20 minutes figuring out exactly what it is, because the name says it all. Nothing beats good old American English when you want to get your point across.
With that in mind, allow me to introduce all youse non-Kiwanians to a dynamic couple that is this year’s coveted “Couple of the Year” according to my group, BWECC!
Here are their impressive bios:
Joe Corace joined Kiwanis in 1984 and served as a club president in Coney Island from 1988 to ’89. He became the Brooklyn Division lieutenant governor in 1992–93. Joe is a charter member of the Mapleton Kiwanis Club, and now serves as its distinguished president. He served as New York district distinguished governor from 2006 to 2007 and was awarded “Lifetime” membership. During his year as governor, Joe established the Everyday Hero award along with many initiatives of community service. Joe helped coordinate fund-raising and events for more than 300 New York State Kiwanis Clubs, which then raise $1 million for the project. The campaign, which had Unicef as a partner, funded iodized salt projects worldwide, sparing more than 90 million children from the debilitating effects of goiters and mental retardation caused by iodine deficiency.
Joe is sitting president of the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Center in North Shore Hospital. The Black and White Ball and development of the KPTC Fellowship Award are his successful vision about how to raise money for education and services for children. At the 85th Annual New York District Convention, Joe was given the distinctive honor of being Convention Honoree for all his hard work.
Joe is involved with many community organizations. He serves on the board of visions; has been active in the Brooklyn School for Special Children; the Coney Island Sharks, the Rory Sparrow Foundation; Community Board 13, and Youth Dares, and has been honored by Visions, Brighton Beach Neighborhood Association, and the Easter Seals Foundation. Joe was also awarded the congressional Medal of Merit. B’nai B’rith honored him with the “Sons of Covenant Award.” Friends of Kaiser Park honored Joe for his outstanding dedication to the community, and the Volunteer Service Award given by the JDRF in 2008.
He had the honor to be named a “Brooklyn Star” by the SN. The Brooklyn Cyclones and the Coney Island Gospel Assembly have also presented awards for his community service, and recently the NYCCOA awarded Joe the “Outstanding Community Senior Citizens award.”
Now allow me to introduce you to the Nydia, who was the first female president of the Kiwanis Club of Coney Island! She served as the first female Distinguished Lieutenant Governor of the Brooklyn Division. Nydia now serves as executive assistant to Kiwanis International president Tom DeJulio and has served our NYD in various positions as chairperson.
Youth Dares, Visions, and the Brighton Beach Neighborhood Association also honored her. As Brooklyn lieutenant governor, Nydia was honored by Juvenile Diabetes for her fund-raising efforts at the Discovery Ball, and, of course, there’s the BWECC! Excellence in Community Service Award.
Nydia was the 2009 Victor V. Allegretti Memorial “Women of the Year,” presented by the American Legion Kings County Youth Program.
Joe and Nydia serve together as certified members of the New York City Community Emergency Response Team CERT. Nydia and Joe Have made it a life mission working with the “Rock and Wrap it Up” organization to serve the homeless, hungry and needing in Coney Island.
Nydia is currently employed by Corporate Electric Group, Inc. as executive assistant to the president.
Joe and Nydia share their life with Kiwanis, community and family. Joe has a wonderful son Frank and daughter-in-law, Kristyn. Both are very proud grandparents to Michael.
Joe owns a leading data-entry specialist service, that has provided more than 30 years of uninterrupted service to hundreds of satisfied clients.
Now you know why they’re receiving the BWECC’s Couple of the Year Award for 2013, don’t procrastinate and also be shut out, make reservations by e-mail Diegovega@aol.com.
Screech at you next week!
Read Carmine's screech every Saturday on BrooklynDaily.com. E-mail him at diegovega@aol.com.