By Wayne Townsend
The first official day of fall brings a welcome respite from the sweltering heat of the summer and is a gentle reminder cooler days are ahead. For the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club in the Bronx, it marks a change in youth programs. Kicking things off was the 15th Annual Day for Kids Festival & 4th Annual Steven Bonano Memorial 5K Run/Walk on September 22.
Steven Bonano was a deputy chief in the New York City Police Department, a first responder during September 11, and an active Boys & Girls Club alumnus. Bonano, 53, passed away in January 2015, due to complications he suffered as a result of exposure to hazardous materials in the immediate aftermath of the terror attacks. Bonano always managed to find time to return to the Kips Bay club on 1930 Randall Ave, a place where he and his brother participated in almost all the club had to offer.
“Steve was a strong swimmer. He was the anchor on the relay team,” said Tony Bonano, 54, Steven’s brother and four years his junior. “He was also the anchor of our family. I feel many of the civic traits we practiced here at Kips Bay growing up were part of the foundation that made my brother a great cop.”
The Bonano family was approached in 2015 with a small gesture to honor Steve. “We here at the club wanted to honor a local hero,” said Eddie Oyola, 40, director of the aquatics program, who has been the with the Kips Bay organization for the last five years. “After doing the research, we discovered the Steven was a big part of the aquatics program and wanted to sponsor a memorial swimming event. It has since evolved into the mile walk/5K event we run now. The event came together quickly and smoothly. The family completely embraced the idea, and it has grown ever since.” Tony welcomed the outreach. This event will always be a testament to Steve’s legacy as a dutiful member of his community,” he said. “In this way, Steve will live on.” Eulogio and Vivian Bonano, Stevens parents, were also in attendance, and graciously greeted well-wishers.
Alberto Rodriguez, 54, has been the program director at the Boys & Girls Club for over 14 years and every year he makes sure the kids know why they run. It is not for the medals, he says, but as a reminder that heroes are homegrown, and should be honored for achievements big and small, focusing on the often-overlooked community aspects heroism. “I am thrilled at the way our young members have shown pride, respect and a desire for this event,” Rodriguez said. “When we ran the first race, we simply gathered a group and went outside, and we ran. The kids here are amazing.”
The event was comprised of two age groups, 12 and under who run one mile, and 13 and over, the 5k participants. Erica Strubbe, the performing arts director, was unaware that her daughter, Emersyn, 10, was the fourth-place finisher and first girl to cross the finish line in the under 12 group. “It was her first official race,” Strubbe said. Emersyn, a member of the dance team said, “Dancing made me stronger, it helped me push myself to finish.”
The events of the day weren’t limited to the walk/run. Local artists and performers, many who are club alumni, took to the stage between scholarship announcements, raffles, and public officials presentations. “We were able to place 1,160 14-to-24-year-olds in the Summer Youth program throughout the Bronx and Manhattan this summer,” Rodriguez said. “We have a domed facility large enough to accommodate baseball, softball, flag football, and all teams are co-ed. We also have the only ice-skating rink in the Bronx.”
The day was a celebration of community, the culmination of hard work, and reminder that memorials could be festive, a salute to the achievements of all who have passed through the halls of the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club. “My brother would approve,” Tony said.
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