Bay Ridge

St. Nicholas Home hosts 35th Anniversary Gala

Annual Dinner Recognizes Three Honorees

March 27, 2017 By John Alexander Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Sen. Marty Golden (left) presents legislative resolution to Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Adib Kassis. Eagle photos by Arthur De Gaeta
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On Saturday, March 15, the St. Nicholas Home, a nonprofit interdenominational residence for elderly individuals in Bay Ridge, hosted its 35th Anniversary Gala at The Vanderbilt at South Beach on Staten Island. The event brought out elected officials, civic leaders and members of the clergy to help raise funds for the home located at 437 Ovington Ave.

Attendees included State Sen. Marty Golden; state Assemblymember Nicole Malliotakis; Joe Avignone, president of the Salaam Club of New York; realtor Aida Nicolaou and Rev. Khader El-Yateem and his wife Grace of the Salam Arabic Lutheran Church in Bay Ridge.

The St. Nicholas Home opened its doors in 1982. It was the dream of the late Rt. Rev. Gregory Abboud of St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral on State Street to build a residence for elderly people in the Arab-American community. Abboud died in 1978, but not before he signed the contract to purchase the old Bay Ridge Hospital. Along with Richard Zarick and his wife Florence, the property was secured and Abboud’s dream became a reality.

Edward Mafoud, chairman of the St. Nicholas Home board of directors, served as master of ceremonies and thanked everyone for being there to support the home. Adel Baghdady performed the national anthem before El-Yateem delivered the invocation.

Mafoud said he was pleased with the turnout for the event, which included more than 200 guests. He emphasized that one in every five residents of Bay Ridge is a senior citizen, magnifying the importance of the St. Nicholas Home in the community, as it serves an aging population. He said the home currently houses 64 residents. Mafoud said that his parents were part of the St. Nicholas Home and he generously offered to match any donations received that evening up to $20,000.

Civic leader George Jalinos presented the Community Service Award to renowned cardiologist Dr. Nidal Isber. Jalinos called Isber a distinguished man of medicine who is published and widely read in his field.

Dr. Ahmad Jaber presented the Family Recognition Award to the Widdi family, owners of Widdi Catering Hall in Sunset Park. The award was given to the entire Widdi family for their continued good works. Jaber called the family’s patriarch, Subhi Widdi, an icon in the community who came to America poor but left a rich legacy, including having been an integral part in the inception of the St. Nicholas Home.

Attorney and community leader Joe Elhilow presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Adib Kassis, a graduate of St. Joseph’s University in Lebanon. Elhilow said that when he and his wife first met the debonair, suave Kassis, they were convinced he was a Lebanese James Bond. They then came to realize that Kassis was not James Bond, but in actuality “a caring man with a passionate love for his faith, his heritage and his adopted country.”

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