Irish Apostolate Notes As I write this piece the “100 Years of Broadway” show at Flushing Town Hall in Queens is being enjoyed by
large audiences. It is a wonderful show with the best of Broadway song and dance. The Saturday night show will be attended by many VIPs from church and city/state. Andrew Koslosky tells me that Broadway Blockbusters is hoping to work with the people who run Flushing Town Hall, which is city/ and state funded, to set up a Queens Youth Orchestra which would perform and train there. Preparations are now beginning for the Annual Holy Ghost Fathers’ Missions Dance on Saturday November 7 at St. Mary’s Parish Hall in Woodside. This is the only large fundraiser for the missions that I myself am involved in. We have a hardworking dance committee which last year raised over $60,000 for a number of needy missions. We will talk more about this worthy cause later. Michelle was born on April 23, 1972, raised in Maspeth and Long Beach, NY. She graduated from BVM Help of Christians School (my parish), Christ the King High School in Middle Village and SUNY at Oneonta, NY. She was the youngest of four children, a beautiful redhead with an infectious sense of humor which endeared her to all. She was an artist gifted with words. At 17 Michelle was diagnosed with a brain tumor while a senior in high school. After surgery, and while still receiving radiation, she attended her Senior Prom, and graduated from her school as Student of the Year. While a freshman at Nassau Community college she received chemotherapy. She attended SUNY Oneonta for her final two years and graduated in1995 with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. The tumor recurred in August of 1995, Michelle had further chemotherapy but she finally lost the battle on October 28, 1996. Michelle is survived by her parents Carol and Richard, sisters Caryl Ann O’Neill-Niven, and Jackie O’Neill-Walsh, and her brother Ricky. She is a niece of George and Mary O’Neill of Maspeth The Michelle O’Neill foundation hosts an annual volleyball charity event to raise funds for distribution to children with cancer and special needs. It is the largest single event volleyball tournament on the east coast. Last year there were 278 competitive and recreational teams and several thousand spectators.
The donation is $42 per person which includes a t-shirt/tanktop, burger/chicken sandwich grilled by the Outback Steakhouse and a soft drink. There will be wonderful music, a kids’ tent with face painting/tattoos, a merchandise tent, a spectacular raffle held mid to late afternoon, and a 50/50 (last year’s winner received $4700).