newsbriefs

Wednesday, September 3, 2008 7:30 PM EDT

COMPILED BY PETE DAVIS

Family Fun Day September 6

Western Queens residents will have another opportunity to experience summer fun with the “Family Fun Day,” celebration on Saturday, September 6 at Frontera Park on 58th Avenue between Brown Place & 69th Street.

The festivities, which will include arts and crafts, contests, inflatable rides, face painting music and games, beginning at noon and continuing through 4 p.m.

The “Family Fun Day,” is the culmination of a series of summer events sponsored by Assemblymember Marge Markey and the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation.

The activities began in June and have included more than 45 programs in eight different parks, playgrounds and community centers thanks in part to a $125,000 in New York State funding secured by Markey.

“I am delighted we have been able to bring children’s theater performances, family activities and fitness programs to hundreds of youngsters and adults over the past few months, providing fun and excitement right here at home in great local parks in our own neighborhoods,” Markey said.

For more information about the event, call 718-520-5919.

LaGuardia hosts

alternative health workshops

LaGuardia Community College’s Center for Alternative Health will be holding a wide range of alternative health workshops from Shamanic Reiki to acupressure to aromatherapy this fall.

The workshop offerings are:

Reiki Level One Training: Triple Certificate Workshop - September 6 and 7

Shamanism 101: Introduction to the Shamanic Journey - September 13 and 14

Shamanic Reiki - October 4 and 5

Shamanism 102: Deepening the Journey - Healing and Power - October 14 to November 25

Reiki Level II Training: Triple Certificate Workshop - October 25 and 26

Introduction to Acupressure - November 12 and 19

Aromatherapy for Your Body and Soul - November 15

The seven workshops being will be held on LaGuardia’s campus at 31-10 Thomson Avenue in Long Island City. Interested parties can register by phone at 718-482-7244 or online at www.peopleware.net/ace. For more information, call 718-482-5026.

9/11 Memorial in Maspeth

A 9/11 memorial ceremony will be open to the community on Saturday, September 6, at 11 a.m. at Maspeth Memorial Park located at 69th Street and Grand Avenue.

During the ceremony, the community will honor those who lost their lives during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, including residents of Maspeth.

The ceremony’s events include an opening and closing prayer by Reverend Peter Zendzian, a wreath laying by members of the Fire Department of New York as well as songs and reflections.

Russian-American author to speak

Russian-American novelist Irina Reyn will speak about her new novel set in Rego Park’s large Bukharian-Jewish enclave on Tuesday, September 23, at 1:30 p.m. at the Central Queens Young Men & Young Women of Hebrew Association (Central Queens YM & YWHA) in Forest Hills.

Born in Moscow, Reyn spent much of her childhood in New York and her work is a portrait of the Russian-American dream. Her novel, What Happened to Anna K., re-imagines the classic story of Leo Tolstoy’s tragic heroine Anna Karenina.

Reyn’s talk is the first in the Fall Meet the Author Series sponsored by the Rabbi Simon Hevesi Library of the Central Queens YM & YWHA, at 67-09 108th Street in Forest Hills.