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Sandy-Damaged Senior Center to be Rebuilt

By Nicholas Rizzi | November 19, 2014 4:33pm
 Borough President James Oddo and Councilman Steven Matteo will allocate $300,000 to help reopen the New Dorp Beach Friendship Club, which has been shuttered since Hurricane Sandy.
Borough President James Oddo and Councilman Steven Matteo will allocate $300,000 to help reopen the New Dorp Beach Friendship Club, which has been shuttered since Hurricane Sandy.
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DNAinfo/Nicholas Rizzi

NEW DORP BEACH — A senior center shuttered since it was damaged in Hurricane Sandy has secured enough funds to reopen.

Borough President James Oddo and Councilman Steven Matteo will allocate $150,000 each for the city to renovate the New Dorp Beach Friendship Club, at 128 Cedar Grove Ave., Oddo announced this week.

"We want the seniors to be able to go back," Oddo said. "We committed to putting in the additional money to make it happen."

While the city funded $1.5 million to reopen the center, it fell short of the funds to make sure the kitchen would be reopened with the rest of the center.

Matteo and Oddo said it was important the center has the kitchen because seniors rely on the space for meals and promised to split the cost.

"That's extremely important," Matteo said. "We're moving forward now that we have the funding. The goal is to get the seniors back to their home away from home."

The center's staff said that they're excited that the project cleared the latest stumbling block and will hopefully be on track to start construction next year.

"Our dream is finally coming through after two years," said Marie Didato, the state coordinator for the club. "We know it's going to take time, but at least we know it's going to happen."

The center, on the first floor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, provided two meals a day for seniors before it was damaged in the storm.

Since some can't travel to the nearest center in Great Kills, many just stay at home instead, said Scott McGrath, who holds events like a prom and Halloween party for the members since it closed.

"Some of them have been house bound since the friendship club has been closed down," McGrath said. "It's an important thing for seniors, it keeps them going."