Christ Lutheran Church celebrates 100 years of faith Christ Lutheran Church in Great Kills was bustling with volunteers preparing the building and grounds for a milestone event marking its 100th year as a congregation Volunteers honor a century of ministry with hands-on care Located on Cleveland Avenue, Christ Lutheran Church first began in 1924 when German-American Lutherans organized in a storefront on Amboy Road. The congregation was officially chartered a year later, holding services in the former Great Kills Theater before moving to its permanent home Volunteers recently gathered to clean the sanctuary and prepare for a full schedule of anniversary events continuing a tradition of congregational involvement that stretches back generations Centennial events connect past and present The congregation is marking its 100th anniversary with several community-wide events including a picnic at Nansen Lodge on June 8 a commemorative service on August 10 at the site of its original worship space and a formal centennial worship service and luncheon at Old Bermuda Inn on October 26 A fundraising campaign called “100 for 100” is also underway aiming to raise $100,000 to support long-term ministry and outreach efforts Christ Lutheran Church continues to serve as a gathering place for worship The church has maintained connections with other local congregations and recently became home to the 550-pound bell rescued from the former Eltingville Lutheran Church by Eagle Scout Benjamin Mick Leadership continues to prioritize inclusion as the church builds upon its century of faith and fellowship © 2008-2025 - Shore News Media & Marketing Ltd Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices Bruno passes the ball in Tuesday evening's Great Kills Little League game against the Greek Freaks - (Angela Barca for the Advance/SILive.com) ABAB .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Angela Barca | For the Advance/SILive.comSTATEN ISLAND -- Great Kills Little League held games at its campus on Tuesday The Richmond Hill Dental Design team and the McEvoy Landscaping team competed in a Clinic game in the spirit of the game. The Greek Freaks and J. Bruno & Sons teams competed in a T-Ball game, learning the basics of baseball. The latter game was played on the Susan and Doc Adone field. The two are founders of the league’s Challenger Division. Susan just recently died Big hits, big smiles and big runs were the order of the day as the young athletes showcased their talent in front of SILive.com/Advance’s cameras It’s all part of SILive.com’s and the Advance’s spotlight on youth sports in the borough We will visit leagues like this and snap many photos of your kids with our cameras Check out the gallery below for the best photos of the day 1/127Great Kills Little Leaguers compete Tuesday eveningSUBSCRIBER BENEFIT: SILive.com is offering a perk exclusively for subscribers: Log in, click on the photo gallery and choose GET PHOTO to download print-quality images free of charge. Note to SILive.com mobile app users: To download high-resolution photos please access this report and gallery from a standard mobile or desktop/laptop web browser holds her plaque of entry in the Great Kills Little League Hall of Fame (Photo courtesy of Great Kill LL)Great Kill LL .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Michael O'Brien | mobrien@siadvance.comSusan Adone a beloved fixture of the Great Kills Little League community for over 40 years passed away on Friday after a brief battle with cancer perhaps the most impactful was her 2004 initiative to launch the league’s Challenger Division — an inclusive program that gave children with physical and developmental challenges the chance to play baseball Adone was honored for her tremendous service last summer with an induction into the Great Kills Little League Hall of Fame becoming part of the league’s third-ever class of inductees love them and coach them like all of my teams I try to give them a true baseball experience I love when I am able to show them some baseball skills and they are able to advance their level of play,‘’ she once said “Doc and I love the Challenger Program and the special events we bring to the kids,‘’ she continued ”The events represent the joys of being a child They have a village at Great Kills Little League that cares about them and their families.‘’ Doc; her sons Justin (Samantha) and Jonathan (Cecilia) and daughter Tara Fareri (Joseph); eight grandchildren and brothers Thomas and Larry DeMayo as well as sisters Amelia Lyon and Anne Story fondly remembered Adone’s tireless dedication to the league noting that she was a remarkably consistent presence at the ballpark She greeted those children every Sunday morning,” Pascale said plays every Sunday morning and is organized by Sue and Doc Adone After meeting for the first time approximately 15 years ago warm person who cared more about the Challenger division than life itself.” “People who came down on Sunday mornings and witnessed the smiles and the love that these kids had for Susan was unbelievable The first thing the kids would do when they got to the field was greet her; they cared about Susan as much as picking up a bat and playing the game itself,” Pascale continued Pascale also remembers how welcoming and kind Adone was when he was selected to be GKLL’s newest president in 2019 “She accepted my family like it was her own She was very caring and very giving,” Pascale said Adone likewise became like a member of the children’s families in the truest sense according to Pascale “It was like she was another mom or grandma to these kids; she was somebody really special to these children and their families are devastated over this news,“ he poignantly shared Pascale shared that although “there’s not enough we can do to honor her legacy,” GKLL plans to add commemorative patches to their Challenger Division’s uniforms in Sue’s honor The league is also organizing a tribute to Adone at their field ahead of her funeral service at St a burial ceremony will take place at Moravian Cemetery in New Dorp 1/2002024 Staten Island Interclub Diving Championships at Great Kills Swim Club.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Owen Reiter | For the Advance/SILive.comEarly morning clouds gave way to sunny skies setting the stage for a perfect day to begin the 2024 Staten Island Swimming Interclub Championships Tuesday at the Great Kills Swim Club Day one of the competition was held on Tuesday with divers from the borough’s five Interclubs eager to show their best form The event is held annually between the borough’s five Interclubs -- Great Kills and Village Greens -- and follows the month-long Athletes compete in five age groups consisting of 8 & under The swimming prelims will take place Wednesday at Village Greens and the swimming championships will be held on Thursday The starting time for all three days is 8:30 a.m. but it is subject to change depending on weather conditions SILive.com and the Staten Island Advance will be there Thursday to snap photos and report on the final day of the competition The controversial Pro Football Hall of Fame candidacy of Jim Tyrer ended Thursday when the former Chiefs lineman who killed his wife and then himself back in 1980 fell short of the required votes to be honored in Canton After disappearing from Hall of Fame consideration for more than 40 years Tyrer's name was brought back for consideration amid evidence suggesting he might have suffered from football-related head trauma decades before the idea became a regular part of the public discourse Tyrer's children had supported his candidacy his son Brad said he and his siblings knew the man who committed the horrific act "wasn't our dad." Brad Tyrer said he and his siblings were "very disappointed" their father didn't get into the Hall of Fame but were thankful for the people who helped bring his name back into consideration Tyrer had been among 182 former players initially nominated for senior consideration and he made it through a series of cutdowns before the Senior Committee selected him as one of three player finalists Along with one coach and one contributor candidate Tyrer was among five men vying for three spots who led the Packers to a Super Bowl win and coached 17 seasons in the league; former Packers wide receiver Sterling Sharpe; Maxie Baughan a nine-time Pro Bowl linebacker in the 1960s; and Ralph Hay who has been called the founding father of the NFL but no other candidate received enough votes Tyrer was a dominant force for the Chiefs in the American Football League in the '60s and after the merger with the NFL in 1970 As a left tackle protecting future Hall of Famer Len Dawson Tyrer played in 180 consecutive games and started every game of his 11 seasons in Kansas City was named to the AFL's All-Time Team and is in the Chiefs' Hall of Fame Tyrer had seemed like a sure bet to reach Canton but that all changed after the shocking news in September 1980 that he killed his wife and then turned the gun on himself The Hall's bylaws are unequivocal that voters are supposed to consider only on-field performance when judging a candidate's merit but it became clear then -- and now -- that some voters weren't comfortable selecting Tyrer because of the murder-suicide "It wasn't like we were waiting on this to bring us closure or anything," Brad Tyrer told ESPN acknowledging the voters were in a "tough" situation "But we just feel more in terms of right and wrong Jason: "I'm disappointed because I thought he deserved it It seems like [some voters] didn't follow the rules of how you're supposed to look only at on-field and not off-field issues." Willa Moore The Great Kills spot has a few chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, as if to remind you that sure, this is a sandwich shop, but you’re still going to eat something absolutely lavish. There’s a full menu of large hot and cold sandwiches, and we'd go with a couple of people, so you can round out your pastrami sandwich with a muffuletta, or a hero with chicken cutlet and prosciutto. Red Hook Defonte’s has been making excellent Italian sandwiches for over 100 years Whether you’re taking the ferry on a Saturday or just looking for something good to eat on your way home Willa was raised in Brooklyn and now lives in Brooklyn which means her favorite bagel place hasn't changed since birth Access to affordable and nutritious food is one of the cornerstones of good health individuals—and communities—are at a higher risk of food insecurity and serious chronic diseases we must recognize that each neighborhood has a distinct food environment These Foodscape reports provide a community-level snapshot of a community’s food environment including data on healthy and unhealthy food consumption the reports detail a comprehensive guide of the many food-related resources available to residents within their neighborhoods to support them in eating healthier The Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center has compiled this information from various sources presenting it in a user-friendly format to help NYC residents and communities better understand their local foodscapes these three resources provide a comprehensive food-related guide to each New York City neighborhood To view information on Tottenville/Great Kills Community Gardens https://web.archive.org/web/20230606095757/https://www.nycfoodpolicy.org/foodscape-tottenville-great-kills/ Article Image: “New York City (NYC) Neighborhood Maps – By Borough – Staten Island.” NYCdata https://www.baruch.cuny.edu/nycdata/population-geography/maps-boroughs.htm Write for The New York City Food Policy Center is always on the look out for innovative, intelligent writers who can produce high-quality, research-based content. Read more here: https://nycfoodpolicy.org/write-nyc-food-policy-center/ Copyright © 2021 Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) and NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) today announced the completion of a $47.9 million project to upgrade sewers and water mains in the neighborhoods of Eltingville and Great Kills on Staten Island was funded by DEP and DOT and managed by DDC The $47.9 million project in in the neighborhoods of Eltingville and Great Kills in Staten Island added 2.3 miles of new storm sewers and replaced 1.4 miles of sanitary sewers and 2.7 miles water mains “This $48 million investment in the neighborhoods of Great Kills and Eltingville has significantly improved drainage the reliability of the drinking water supply system and the quality of life for residents and businesses,” said DEP Commissioner Vincent Sapienza “Thank you to our project partners at DOT and DDC and to the support of the elected officials and members of the community for helping to make this project a reality.” “With the addition of more than two miles of storm sewers and 150 new catch basins the residents of Eltingville and Great Kills now enjoy safer streets and greatly improved drainage every time it rains,” said DDC Commissioner Lorraine Grillo “I’d like to thank our staff and contractors for completing this work during the pandemic and DEP and DOT for working with us to plan and complete this major $48 million project.” New street markings after 46,440 square yards of roadway was repaved “This storm sewer and water main upgrade project will help improve the quality of life for everyone in Eltingville and Great Kills,” said DOT Staten Island Borough Commissioner Tom Cocola “We are particularly delighted about the installation of left turning bays on Hylan Boulevard and Armstrong Avenue and all the local residents who helped us make this critical infrastructure investment happen.” “The investment in new storm sewers to address chronic flooding is most welcome news for the residents of Great Kills and Eltingville,” said U.S these neighborhoods have experienced property damage and headaches caused by heavy rains and lack of proper infrastructure We are pleased to see these projects completed.” “It has been clear for many years that a sewer system upgrade was desperately needed in the vicinity of Robinson Avenue I've visited with the residents here far too many times as they dealt with flooding concerns and the resulting property damage Even moderate storms often led to horrendous flooding along these streets,” said State Senator Andrew J “I appreciate the partnership of DEP and DOT as we navigated through some unique issues in this project area along with Borough President James Oddo and Council Member Joseph Borelli we were able to address the many concerns that local residents highlighted prior to and during construction the new pontoon gates will finally address a long present issue of seawater backing up into the storm sewers and onto the local streets during high tide events The enhanced capacity of the outfalls will positively impact the surrounding community.” “After years of Staten Islanders struggling from frequent flooding I'm confident that these long anticipated upgrades to our sewer systems and water mains will really turn a new leaf for Great Kills and Eltingvillle residents,” said Council Member Joseph C “I would like to thank our partners at NYC DEP NYC DOT and NYC DDC for their continued commitment to bring this project to fruition.” Over 2.3 miles (12,400 feet) of new storm sewers were installed to help alleviate flooding in the area and 440 feet of old storm sewers were replaced To better direct stormwater to the new sewers While the roads were open for construction an additional 1.4 miles (7,620 feet) of sanitary sewers were replaced new chambers with pontoon gates were installed to allow stormwater to drain from the new storm sewers while preventing seawater from backing up into the storm sewers at high tide One chamber at the end of Armstrong Avenue measures 17.5-feet wide by 25-feet long by 9.5-feet high and another at the end of Goodall Street measures 15-feet wide by 23.5-feet long by 7-feet high The outfall pipes that discharge the water from the new storm sewers into Great Kills Harbor/Crescent Beach which are connected to the chambers were upgraded and expanded as well The outfall by Armstrong Avenue and Tennyson Drive nearly doubled in capacity while the outfall by the end of Goodall Street and Tennyson Drive nearly quadrupled in capacity to handle the increased volume of water from the new storm sewers when it rains A headwall for one of the new storm sewer chambers being constructed behind a temporary cofferdam more than 2.7 miles (14,500 feet) of old water mains were replaced Fire protection was enhanced with the installation of 16 new fire hydrants and replacement of 33 old fire hydrants Street improvements include 46,440 square yards of repaved roadway and 59,130 square feet of reconstructed sidewalk Nearly 3.7 miles (19,530 feet) of curbs were reconstructed and 580 feet of new curbs were installed Erosion at the dead end of Glover Street by Crescent Beach Park was mitigated with the placement of stones and boulders and the planting of maritime seeds 22 trees were removed but 263 new trees were planted Four new reinforced concrete bus pads were installed and two old bus pads were replaced Compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) was improved with the replacement of 46 pedestrian ramps NYC DOT's mission is to provide for the safe and environmentally responsible movement of people and goods and to maintain and enhance the transportation infrastructure crucial to the economic vitality and quality of life of New York City residents More than 5,000 DOT employees oversee one of the most complex urban transportation networks in the world managing 6,000 miles of streets and highways Our staff also installs and maintains more than one million street signs and 200 million linear feet of street markings DOT promotes the use of sustainable modes of transportation which serves over 22 million people annually NYC is a trademark and service mark of the City of New York Privacy Policy. Terms of Use.  DEP: 718-595-6600, DEPPressOffice@dep.nyc.gov DDC: Shoshana Khan, 718-391-1251, KhanSho@ddc.nyc.gov 2021) The New York City Departments of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Design and Construction (DDC) today announced that construction has been completed on three Bluebelt projects on the South Shore of Staten Island This infrastructure investment of $135 million has upgraded the drainage systems in the neighborhoods of Tottenville The projects included the addition of new catch basins and storm sewers to improve roadway drainage and wetlands to naturally filter the stormwater new water mains and fire hydrants were added along with new sanitary sewers which allows hundreds of homes to connect to the City sewer system and discontinue the use of septic tanks DEP provided the funding for the projects and DDC managed the construction Over the last 25 years DEP has built more than 70 Bluebelts across Staten Island with additional sites currently in construction and design The award-winning Bluebelt program preserves natural drainage corridors such as streams and optimizes them to help control and filter stormwater from surrounding neighborhoods The Bluebelts also provide important open spaces and serve as a habitat for diverse wildlife “The Bluebelt program has been tremendously successful in managing stormwater and improving the quality of life across Staten Island,” said DEP Commissioner Vincent Sapienza “This Administration has made significant investments to expand the use of Bluebelts to additional neighborhoods and today we celebrate the completion of projects in Tottenville Eltingville and Great Kills that will improve drainage protect open space and improve property values.” “These three Bluebelt projects represent over $135 million invested in Staten Island’s infrastructure and extend an incredibly unique and innovative approach to stormwater management for the borough,” said DDC Deputy Commissioner for Infrastructure Eric Macfarlane “We are pleased to have worked with DEP on dozens of projects throughout the last two decades to alleviate flooding and improve the quality of life for residents throughout the Island.” “The Bluebelts on Staten Island are among the most successful common sense infrastructure projects in our borough’s history The brilliant team at DEP developed the concept of engineering our existing stream corridors to redirect stormwater away from neighborhoods and into natural areas,” said Staten Island Borough President James Oddo “The result is help for residents in low-lying areas prone to flooding and the creation of ponds and wetlands that beautify our borough and increase property values DEP and DDC for continuing to invest in and expand the Bluebelt program – particularly at a time of increasingly severe and damaging storm systems affecting our Island.” “I’m happy to see DEP and DDC complete the construction of this critical Bluebelt project,” said Congress Member Nicole Malliotakis “The installation of these new Bluebelts will go a long way in preventing and protecting residents in the Great Kills and Eltingville neighborhoods against stormwater flooding as well as better habitat for local wildlife to grow and foster is a win all around.” “I am pleased with the completion of these Bluebelt projects which will provide important drainage improvements to the Tottenville Eltingville and Great Kills neighborhoods,” said Council Member Joseph Borelli “These projects will not only contribute to mitigating the risk of flooding and improving roadway drainage but they will also provide substantial open spaces for diverse wildlife and improve property values I’d like to thank DEP and DDC for their co-action and continued commitment to improving the quality of life for our community members across Staten Island.” “My district was severely impacted by Hurricane Sandy and many of my constituents lost everything,” said Assembly Member Michael Tannousis I’m hopeful that these Bluebelt projects will help resolve the stormwater flooding that my constituents face on a consistent basis and will improve their overall quality of life.” a $53.8 million project transformed a swampy marshland filled with debris and Phragmites into the beautiful 4.4-acre Mill Creek Bluebelt one at the end of Murray Street and the other along Amboy Road will direct stormwater from the upgraded drainage network into the newly built holding ponds The Bluebelt will hold and naturally filter the stormwater before it eventually drains into the Arthur Kill Murray Street on the west and Pan Street on the east a gravel walkway meanders through the Bluebelt more than 8,200 linear feet of new storm sewers and 90 new catch basins were installed more than 11,600 linear feet of new sanitary sewers allowed 210 homes to connect to the City’s sewer system and discontinue the use of septic tanks To improve the drinking water distribution system nearly 12,500 linear feet of new water mains made from concrete-lined ductile iron which is more resilient and less prone to breakage were added to replace older cast iron pipes A micro-tunnel boring machine was utilized to excavate a passage beneath the Richmond Valley stop of the Staten Island Railway station for sewer and water lines without disrupting train service Fire protection was enhanced with the installation of 43 new fire hydrants and replacement of 28 old fire hydrants sidewalks and curbs were rebuilt and portions of Page Avenue and Amboy Road were widened and turning lanes were added to improve safety and improve the flow of traffic 118 new trees were planted and 80 old trees were removed the City invested $46 million to improve drainage and rehabilitate Jack’s Pond which included the substantial removal of accumulated pond sediment to re-establish historic elevations and pond depth to increase the storage capacity of the Pond In order to naturally treat the water and reduce algae blooms thousands of native wetland plants were added and a solar powered aerator was installed in the pond The plants absorb the algae while the solar powered aerator oxygenates the water via three underwater diffusers New upland vegetation was also planted and native fish including hundreds of largemouth bass and bluegill sunfish and thousands of fathead minnows The existing pathway around the pond’s southern perimeter was re-established and stabilized at 4-feet wide with approximately 480 feet of trail connecting the weir chamber at Ramble Road to Hillside Terrace through a wooded area Six stone-faced headwalls were constructed throughout the 50-acre watershed at Clovis Road Cleveland Avenue and La Fontaine Place to connect the pond to the nearby streams and newly installed storm sewers The addition of 6,460 linear feet of new storm sewers and 74 catch basins as well as the replacement of four existing catch basins have helped better manage the precipitation that falls in the area and reduce localized flooding 9,900 linear feet of newly installed sanitary sewers allowed 51 homes to connect to the City’s sewer system and discontinue the use of septic tanks While the roadways were open to add the new sewers the City also upgraded the water supply delivery system by replacing the old cast iron water mains with 11,680 linear feet of new ductile iron mains To ensure the FDNY has ready access to the City’s water supply during emergencies 42 new fire hydrants were installed and 29 existing hydrants that were replaced the City undertook a $35.8 million project to upgrade the drainage and water delivery infrastructure Three natural drainage systems were built in the vicinity of the Wood Duck Pond Bluebelt reducing roadway flooding by collecting stormwater from surrounding roadways and directing it to this wetland where it is naturally filtered in order to protect the environment Construction included the installation of 6,600 linear feet of new storm sewers the replacement of over 7,800 linear feet of sanitary sewers and more than two miles of water mains and the addition of 114 new catch basins and 34 new fire hydrants portions of the roadway were raised by up to three feet and more than 33,000 square yards of roadway was reconstructed and more than 22,000 square feet of sidewalks were reconstructed including in the vicinity of the new drainage wetlands totaled more than 160 trees and 420 shrubs More photos and images are available here through these links: Great Kills, Tottenville, and Eltingville