Valley Stream community organizations plan for 2018’s activities

There will be many events happening in Valley Stream this year, and various organizations and institutions are working hard to prepare for them.

Lion’s Club celebrates 70th anniversary

This year is the Lion’s Club of Valley Stream’s 70th anniversary, and to celebrate members will be participating in a dinner and dance in Mineola on Jan. 25. The club will also be working on a few new initiatives this year, including raising awareness of diabetes and juvenile cancer. The club is also going to work to expand its youth section of the club.

“We’re trying to get members to work with the schools,” said former president Janet Mahabir.

Religious groups prepare for holidays, events

The Valley Stream Presbyterian Church will be celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, and is planning several events in advance. The first event will be a Super Bowl Sunday party, which will be open to the public on Feb. 4 at 4 p.m. Prior to the game, guests can compete in an unofficial Madden ’18 gaming tournament. Individuals looking to participate would need to register in advance. The event is sponsored by TAQA entertainment.

“We’re going to have two large screens and projectors,” said Rev. Kymberly Clemons-Jones, who added that there would be “two initial tournaments to take home the title of Best Madden Player.”

The church’s annual carnival will be held from May 3 through May 6 at the Arthur J. Hendrickson Park and Pool parking lot. It will also host several religious events, including an Ash Wednesday service on Feb. 14 at 7 p.m.

Other religious events include the Baha’i holy day celebrations at the end of February and in March. March is also the Baha’i New Year. To celebrate, children in the Baha’i Center’s Children’s Theater Company will be performing a musical devotional for the holidays on Feb. 9.

Masjid Hamza, the mosque in Valley Stream, will be continuing the work they have done in their community, according to Karim Mozawalla, a trustee at the mosque. Including preparing for a Spring Open House for the community to learn more about the mosque. A date has not yet been set, Mozawalla said.

Now, the mosque is preparing for Ramadan, which is going to be in the middle of May this year. “We have to make sure the mosque is clean [and] we have to arrange for food for 30 straight nights,” Mozawalla said.

The Valley Stream Religious Council will also be working this year to promote education of the different religions that are worshipped in Valley Stream. According to Marie McNair, a member of the religious council, the council will be working with the four Valley Stream school districts to teach students to appreciate diversity. She said that she was not yet sure how the council would do so. “It could be curriculum, it could be special events,” she said.

What’s going on in the village?

This year, there will be many events going on in the Village of Valley Stream. The annual Community Fest will be held this year on Sept. 29. McNair, who is also the chairperson for Community Fest this year, said that the committee is currently working to secure sponsors.

The Valley Stream Historical Society will celebrate President’s Day in style on Feb. 18, with their annual George and Abe are Back event at Pagan Fletcher Restoration from 1 p.m. to 4p.m. At the event, members of the historical society will dress up as historical figures for President’s Day and will tell guests all about the historical figure. On display, there will also be a genuine piece of George Washington memorabilia. The event is free, but donations are welcome.

“It’s a pretty big deal,” said Valerie Esposito, the Valley Stream Historical Society’s director of public relations.