WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
Family Festival Honoring Father Louis R. Gigante
You should know that together with Councilman Rafael Salamanca, Assembly Members Marcos Crespo and Luis Sepulveda, Mr. Salvatore Gigante, Jr. from SEBCO, Father Jose Rivas from St. Athanasius Church, Freddy Perez Entertainment and members of the community, we would like to invite you to an Outdoor Family Festival.
This Saturday, July 8th starting at 12pm, we will be celebrating an outdoor Family Day Festival in honor and recognition of the work, achievement and contribution of Father Louis R. Gigante, aka Father G., to the redevelopment of Simpson Street and the Hunts Point peninsula of Bronx County.
This will be a completely free Festival to all attendees, and will take place at Father Gigante Plaza, located at 878 Tiffany Street in the Bronx, right in front to Saint Athanasius Church, and will be offering live music, food and entertainment for our children and families.
It is important for you to know that years ago, when the South Bronx was burned to the ground and where crime was the order of the day, it was Father Louis Gigante who started the reconstruction of the Simpson Street and Hunts Point.
Back in those times, the Simpson Street area was the home of prostitution, crime and drugs, to the extent that the local Police Precinct was given the name Fort Apache. In fact, Paul Newman and Rachel Ticotin filmed a movie in the area named “Fort Apache, The Bronx.”
I personally recommend that you see that movie so you can see how the area of Simpson Street used to be.
In fact, I especially urge those people who are always complaining that no one does anything for them to watch this movie so they can learn about the housing benefits and commodities we all have because God used Father Louis R. Gigante as the head of elected officials, community leaders along with the late Sister Miriam Thomas, to make Simpson Street and the Hunts Point places where people want to live now.
Father Gigante, who was a priest of Saint Athanasius Church, created two organizations: SEBCO, Southeast Bronx Community Organization, and SISDA, Simpson Street Development Association. These two organizations were the main instruments in the re-development of the area.
It is for these reasons that we the elected officials representing the area, together with community leaders and organizations, have organized this Outdoor Family Festival.
The official ceremony where Proclamations and Certificates will be presented to honor and recognize the work and many contributions of Father Louis R. Gigante will be at 3:00 pm.
You are all invited to come and join us for this special Outdoor Family Festival to honor Father Louis R. Gigante.
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