QNS: Queens’ Variety Boys & Girls Club host back to school festival donates 200 backpacks for students
Originally published in
QNS
The Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens recently held a back to school event for local students and their families.
The event, held on Sept. 18 in Astoria, provided over 200 backpacks and school supplies for students returning to class.
The backpacks and supplies were donated by the Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Staples store 841, Executive Digital, state Senators Michael Gianaris and Jessica Ramos, Apartment 3R and PreCog Security.
More generosity came with the donation of 500 cookies by Chip City, located on 42-15 Crescent St. Some of the other vendors present were San Antonio’s Wood Fired Pizza, Ample Hills Creamery and Astoria Bookshop.
The event, which was hosted in sponsorship with TD Bank, Elmhurst Hospital, Chip City and Heroes Basketball, featured several games, including a dunk tank.
CEO of Variety Boys & Girl Costa Constantinides, and former Astoria city councilman, was all smiles after being dunked in.
State Senator Michael Gianaris, VBGC CEO Costa Constantinides and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards at back to school event. (Photo courtesy of Variety Boys & Girls Club)
According to their website, the Variety Boys & Girls Club, created in 1955, was established by a concerned group of citizens in Astoria and Long Island City who “banded together in response to rising gang violence in their neighborhood.”
For more information about the Variety Boys & Girls Club, visit www.bgcqueens.org.
