See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.
By Joanna DelBuono
Brooklyn Daily
Sheepshead Bay
Ex-Soviet Raisa Chernina says red, white, and blue are her favorite colors.
“I love America unconditionally,” said Raisa, a 34-year U.S. resident who became a citizen 29 years ago and created the Be Proud Foundation in appreciation of her adopted homeland.
“Whatever I have I want to share with everybody,” she said. “I want to give back to the country and the community.”
Raisa delivers a special salute to cops, sharing that when her mother died, a Finest from the 61st Precinct in Sheepshead Bay showed up to help her get through a tough time.
“He saw I was upset, and he stayed with me until my husband and children came home, so I want to say. ‘Thank you,’ ” she said.
Standing O pal Raisa is also quick to defend the Finest.
“We blame the police for everything, even things that are our own fault,” she said. “But God forbid something happens, they are the ones that are there for us, and I think it’s important that we thank them.”
Raisa stood by her words when her group hosted a dinner at Signature Restaurant in Sheepshead Bay, honoring Deputy Inspector Charles Scholl, Sgt. Anthony Caggiano, and members of the 60th Precinct Community Affairs Team.
Her own work has been recognized. Former comptroller John Liu presented Raisa with an award for her patriotic service.
Thank you Raisa, Standing O is proud of you!
Be Proud Foundation [2805 E. 26th St. at Shore Parkway in Sheepshead Bay, (718) 788–7773].
Midwood
All that jazz
Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts is seeing green! The organization received a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to help fund its April presentation of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterwork’s Orchestra’s A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald.”
The program will include many of the Queen of Smooth’s original big-band arrangements by Billy May, Count Basie, Van Alexander, Billy Strayhorn, and Benny Carter.
Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts [2900 Campus Rd. at Hillel Place in Midwood, (718) 951–4600].
Dyker Heights
Twinkle on...
Brightly lit Dyker Heights is a shimmering national treasure, after being named one of America’s “Twinkliest Towns” by Every Day with Rachel Ray” magazine.
“These towns turn the twinkle factor up so high, you’ve got to see them with your own two eyes — but maybe wear shades,” stated its website.
Standing O alerts readers: “Yule be in for a treat if you pass by Dyker for the next few days before the lights switch off until the next holiday season.”
Borough Wide
Checkmate!
Cheers to Edward R. Murrow High School student James Black, Jr., for acing first place at the Chess in the Parks Festival in Central Park. The 13th annual competition, hosted by Chess in the Schools, featured more than 100 games for budding Garry Kasparovs to test their skills, including “Chess-er-cize” that used oversized pieces in a giant chess game.
Standing O pal James successfully attacked the competition, earning himself the top trophy — and Standing O bragging rights!
Homecrest
Hitting the jackpot
The New Year’s looking prosperous for jackpot winner Berta Chalouh, who aced the grand prize of $5,000 in the Crack the Vault Game, when Investors Bank celebrated the grand opening of its Homecrest branch.
Branch manager Alfred Fisher and customer service associate Diana Lipes presented Standing O pal Berta with the whopping check, ensuring her a great start to 2014.
Investor’s Bank [1201 Quentin Rd. and E. 12th Street in Homecrest, (718) 336–2411].