Over 125 people, including an impressive turnout of local politicians vying for office, attended Village Reform Democrats Club’s 21st Annual Dinner at Dolphins restaurant on Third Ave. on May 2.
Senator Chuck Schumer encouraged V.R.D.C. to “get out of town,” telling them that if “you want to be useful,” to travel to swing states and nearby congressional swing districts to campaign for John Kerry for president and Democratic candidates for Congress. Also attending were keynote speaker Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum and possible mayoral candidates Congressmember Anthony Weiner and Council Speaker Gifford Miller.
Congressmember Jerry Nadler talked about what he called the harm done to the federal judiciary by the current Bush administration.
The dinner honored God’s Love We Deliver and late Village café owner Menachem “Manny” Dworman. Dinner host Councilmember Alan Gerson observed that the mayor and borough president races have attracted many candidates. In fact, there were five expected borough president candidates in attendance: Assemblymember Scott Stringer, Councilmembers Phil Reed and Bill Perkins, former Councilmember Stan Michels and State Committee Member Carlos Manzano. Greg Lambert, of V.R.D.C., noted the presence of Councilmember Christine Quinn, who is mentioned as a successor to Council Speaker Gifford Miller, commenting that, “Quinn has certainly demonstrated a remarkable ability to build bridges across the political divides of the Village.”
The award to Dworman — who owned Café Feenjohn, with Comedy Cellar in the basement, on MacDougal St. — was presented posthumously to his son, Noam, and his wife, Ava, in honor of his contributions to Village life. Anne Hughes-Hinnen accepted the award for God’s Love We Deliver in recognition of the many volunteers and members of the staff who provide meals and counseling for H.I.V./AIDS patients and their families.
