Unisphere, Inc. Hosts Circus In The Park Gala

Unisphere, Inc. Board of Directors Chairman Bruce Bendell (l.) and Gazette photographer Dr. Dan Miller.

Unisphere, Inc. held "Circus In the Park", its fourth annual gala event to benefit Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, on Thursday, June 21 at the Ederle Terrace at Meadow Lake in Flushing Meadows- Corona Park. Queens County Clerk Gloria D'Amico and New York City Police Department Assistant Chief James Tuller, former commanding officer of Patrol Borough Queens North, now commanding officer, Patrol Borough Manhattan South, Sid Davidoff, Esq., a partner in Davidoff, Malito & Hutcher, LLC, and Guy "Doc" Holliday, New York Daily News executive vice president and associate publisher of advertising, were slated to be honored at the event. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn was scheduled to serve as Honorary Ringmaster.

Given the circus theme, guests were asked to attend wearing either circus costume or casual dress. The evening started at 6 p.m. with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres and continued with food, music, clowns, entertainment, and "prizes galore!". The third largest park in New York City with 1,255 acres of meadows and lakes, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is home to the Queens Museum of Art, the New York Hall of Science, Shea Stadium, the Queens Theatre in the Park, the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and the Queens Wildlife Center. The site of the 1939 and 1964 World's Fairs, it has the largest concentration of sports, recreational facilities and cultural institutions of any park in New York. Noted for its large globe or Unisphere, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is visited by millions of people each year and every day in spring and summer attracts visitors from nearby neighborhoods and from more than 40 countries.

Sid Davidoff, Esq., a partner in Davidoff, Malito & Hutcher, LLC, was honored at the Unisphere, Inc. Circus In the Park fundraiser June 21.

Unisphere, Inc., a private non-profit corporation named for the structure that symbolizes the park, was formed in 2003 to help transform Flushing Meadows-Corona Park into a model for urban parks nationwide. According to its mission statement, "Unisphere, Inc. bridges private and public resources in order to maximize the maintenance, public programming opportunities, and capital restoration of Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Unisphere, Inc. will also help to maintain and preserve the park's green space, educate the public to become better stewards of this irreplaceable urban treasure and work with community groups and park users to ensure that Flushing Meadows-Corona Park remains an enjoyable experience for all park visitors." Adrian Benepe, commissioner of the city Department of Parks and Recreation, and Dorothy Lewandowski, Queens Commissioner, Department of Parks and Recreation are exofficio members of the board of directors; the board is headed by Estelle Cooper, assistant commissioner, Queens Parks, and Chairman Bruce Bendell, Major Automotive Companies, Inc president. Board members are Dave Barger, Carol Conslato, Gloria D'Amico, Linda DeSabato, Bill Donohue, Fred Fu, Chris Hwang, Stephen Mills, Harriet Novet, Eugene Petraca Jr., Bryan Pu Folkes, Mark Schienberg, George Stamatiades and Georgiana Reese.

New York City Police Department Assistant Chief James Tuller, former commanding officer of Patrol Borough Queens North, now commanding officer, Patrol Borough Manhattan South, Dolly DeThomas, with the Crowne Plaza Hotel, (at Tuller's l.) and friends. Honoree Gloria D'Amico, Queens County Clerk (second from r.) and (l.to r.) Dolly DeThomas, Carol Scarano and Gloria DeMarco Aloise. (L. to r.): City Councilmember Helen Sears, Borough President Helen Marshall, a friendly lion and Karleen Comrie. Photos Dan Miller/DMDImages