Port Washington residents will have the chance to show off their community spirit during the annual Pride in Port celebration.
On Sept. 24, the town will celebrate its 28th annual Pride in Port event, kicking the day off with a Paul D. Schreiber High School Hall of Fame ceremony and concluding it with a dinner and dance.
“It’s just such a wonderful event,” said Barbara Faticone, the co-chairwoman of the event’s committee for the last 24 years. “It’s just a great time to come out and show that you love your community. It’s such a beautiful day with a lovely turnout every single year.’’
After the ceremony, a parade to honor Port Washington will run from Belleview Avenue to Schreiber High School. Fred Falconer, owner of S.F. Falconer Florist, is being honored as the parade’s grand marshal.
“Fred has been such a devoted member toward Pride in Port,” Faticone said. “He’s always given so much to us and has always been so kind about helping us out and being there.”
Falconer provides the event with the centerpieces and arrangements at the lunch for seniors, which they get take home after the event.
“It’s really great being able to help out and do the centerpieces for the seniors,” Falconer said. “Seniors tell me they look forward to the event and that’s nice. It’s something really nice to do for our local seniors.”
The senior lunch is in the Schreiber High School cafeteria.
Falconer said he’s been involved with the event since its inception, and he always looks forward to participating.
For the week leading up to the events, Main Street will be renamed Sal Zimbardi Way.
Zimbardi died last year, Faticone said, and he devoted much time and energy to Pride in Port and other organizations.
The day’s biggest event, Faticone said, is the homecoming football game at 1:30 p.m. at Schreiber.
The game will also feature a halftime ceremony to celebrate the hall of fame inductees.
“When I was growing up, my friends and I had so much school spirit,” Faticone said. “As time went on, that spirit wasn’t really there anymore, so these events have really helped bring it back, especially the football game, because everyone comes out to cheer on the team.”
The Pride in Port committee has been preparing since January for the day, Faticone said, and 20 board members and other volunteers have been working to put everything together.
At 12:15, there is a family fun day event at Campus Drive that is free.
“Everyone works so hard to put this together and we want people to come out and have a lot of fun,” Faticone said. “It’s about fun and keeping the spirit in Port Washington.”
During the dinner and dance, the committee will raise money for scholarships for Schreiber students.
“At dance and throughout the year, we raise money for scholarships to give to students who have been very involved in the community,” Faticone said. “We give out around five scholarships every year and it’s really unbelievable that we get to help out.’’
The hall of fame ceremony will take place at Schreiber at 9 a.m.
This year, the inductees include James Dalimonte, class of 1984; Max Blank, class of 1966; Nathaniel Francis, class of 2000; Joseph Lynch, class of 1976; and Pamela Monfort McDonough, class of 1974.
For the dinner-dance, advance tickets are $30 and tickets at the door are $30, and it will take place at the Polish-American Hall at 5 Pulaski Place in Port Washington.
