Moms Organize Halloween Parade
BY DAN MILLER
O n Sunday afternoon October 28, blessed by magnificent sunny weather, more than 100 infants and toddlers, accompanied by their "stay at home" mothers, some with additional family members as well, marched along Ditmars Boulevard in Astoria in the third annual Meet Up Pre Halloween Walk.

Photos Dan Miller/DMD Images Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. (Cat in the Hat) is joined by some of the stay at home moms who participated in this year's Pre Halloween Walk, sponsored by Meetup, Commerce Bank and Vallone.

The walk on Sunday was coordinated by Meetup Stay At Home Moms Founder Claire Rose with assistance from Sarah Espanol, another founder, and their friend, Lorena Cione. Financial support was provided by City Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. and Commerce Bank.

The walk began in front of the entrance to Commerce Bank at 31st Street with the marchers walking south along Ditmars Boulevard to 36th Street and then back along Ditmars to Commerce Bank. Games and refreshments were awaiting the walkers when they returned to the Commerce Bank.

Michael Serao, the Commerce Bank branch manager was dressed all in black for the occasion. Vallone Jr., dressed in a Cat in the Hat costume, told the Queens Gazette, "They came to us for help. I am just looking forward to hanging out with the kids and their moms."

Vallone's daughters, Katherine and Caroline, also attended the parade and chose their father's costume. "Yea! we helped him select a costume," quipped Katherine, the older. They took their father to a costume store and picked out the Cat in the Hat costume for their City Council dad to wear for the occasion. He was seen having fun squirting participants in the event.

A costume contest for three categories was held. Samuel Bachman, two and a half years old, won for the Lion King costume. Kelsy (last name withheld on request) was selected for her cat costume and a baby wearing a peacock outfit won for the baby category.

Police officers from the 114th Precinct were on hand helping with traffic control to help make the parade a safe experience.

Started three years ago by Rose and Espanol, two stay at home mothers, Meet Up has become one of the fastest growing groups for new families who call Astoria their home. Rose was a stay at home mom who was seeking an outlet for social events for her young child. "We started three years ago when our kids were already tiny. It was a group for moms to collect to get to meet with other moms with small kids and for the kids to get together. We have play dates. We go to museums, local events and playgrounds and play dates at each other's homes," Rose said. "We've grown from three members three years ago to almost 200 members today."

When asked how the group has helped families with young children in Astoria, Meetup founder Claire Rose said, "It is completely a social group. We are a good resource for each other. Those of us who started the group are the closest of friends now. When people start having kids and don't know other people with kids, that's what we do, we bring them together."

For more information about Meetup, visit the Meetup Web site at www.sahm.meetup.com/817.