On Sunday, more than 100 “Astoria characters” and their supporters filled the Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens for an event to celebrate their stories.
Journalist Nancy Ruhling's column, “Astoria Characters,” appears in this newspaper, and is also published on The Huffington Post website. It tells the stories of everyday people, their struggles, triumphs and successes.
She has written approximately 416 profiles of Astoria’s residents and small businesses over eight years.
Last Tuesday, the Variety Boys and Girls Club honored prominent Club Alum Milko Campusano at a cocktail style reception benefiting the children of the Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens.
The intimate fifty person event was held at the Microsoft Office in Times Square, Manhattan.
Variety's Executive Director, Matt Troy, opened up the night by sharing the exciting new programs that the Club is now offering. "We're really expanding our programs at our Club and at new program sites," he exclaimed to the attendees.
The Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens swim team placed first in their swim meet in North Carolina last week. Out of 40 teams and 1,000 swimmers from around the country, the Vipers, led by Coach Tony, beat out the rest of the competition.
To kick off a new series honoring local community heroes, the Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens recognized longtime Astoria Houses leader Claudia Coger last Thursday.
In addition to leading the tenants' association, Coger has advocated for the Astoria community for decades. Her son, now 65 years old, used to attend the after-school programs at Variety, where he was once awarded “Boy of the Year.”
“I’m a little emotional,” Coger said after she accepted the honor. “It’s been a long journey. I’ve seen many, many changes come to Astoria.”
Coger’s record of community activism ranges from fighting for voting and civil rights to gender equality. She marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. down the National Mall during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.