Sweet victory
An annual bocce tournament has been bringing local businesses and neighbors together since 2017 to raise money, which goes to the operation of the Swinging Sixties Senior Center Bus. The senior bus is a necessary service that offers pick up and drop off to and from the Swinging Sixties Older Adult Center (211 Ainslie Street) for older adults who have mobility issues. Without means to get around many seniors are isolated; this can have negative implications on physical and mental health.
“It’s such an essential service as far as I’m concerned. I’m not steady on my feet; I get on the bus and I feel safe. Coming to Swinging Sixties and having meals, where I have a good balance of fruit, vegetables, and good carbs, is very important but so is the socializing,” said Jane, a member of Swinging Sixties Older Adult Center.
When a shuttle bus was gifted to St. Nicks Alliance for their senior center the cost of maintaining and operating the vehicle became a concern. Conselyea Street Block Association (CSBA) a partner of St. Nicks Alliance and founder of Swinging Sixties thought up the idea of an annual bocce tournament sponsored by local businesses as a fun way to raise money and build community. The first two years the tournament was held at the bocce courts in the basement of the Swinging Sixties center. The third year the tournament was held at two venues: Swinging Sixties and Domino Park. In 2020, the tournament was put on pause due to COVID, and it returned in September of 2021 to be hosted solely at Domino Park’s bocce courts ever since.
The leaders of two teams, who played in the first tournament, business owners Joe Franquinha (of Crest Hardware, 558 Metropolitan Avenue) and Brent Young (of The Meat Hook, 397 Graham Avenue) have spearheaded the fundraising campaign since the second year. More and more local businesses have supported the cause with team and court sponsorships. In 2023, eight teams were formed from eleven businesses. This year sixteen teams played in the tournament on three courts at Domino Park with an estimated $20K raised.
In a shocking turn of events, Fortunato Brothers Café & Pasticceria (289 Manhattan Avenue) won the trophy at this year’s, 7th annual Bocce for Bus Tournament held on May 11. Shocking because Crest Hardware’s team is the overall tournament favorite as they have won four times and were the reigning champion until Fortunato Brothers became the title holder. It is fitting that such a sweet victory went to a business who is well-loved for their sweet baked goods since they opened in 1976. This bakery also participated in the first bocce tournament in 2017.
Even without much experience in defeat, the Crest team is known to come back stronger after a loss. Cue the training montage from the film Rocky. This will bring extra excitement to 2025’s tournament.
The Swinging Sixties’ seniors give their thanks to the generosity of the organizers and to those who formed a team: Crest Hardware, The Meat Hook, Pete’s Candy Store (709 Lorimer Street), Anthony & Son Panini Shoppe (433 Graham Avenue), North Brooklyn Neighbors, Bitesize Pediatric Dentistry (568 Union Ave Suite J), Fortunato Brothers Café & Pasticceria, Two Trees Management, Basik (323 Graham Avenue) NYC Footy, Brooklyn Youth Sports Club, Union Pool (484 Union Avenue), Variety Coffee, and Maracujá (279 Grand Street).
Additional thanks goes to businesses that provided food and refreshments: Peter Pan Donuts (727 Manhattan Avenue), Variety Coffee, Carmine and Sons (356 Graham Avenue), Brooklyn Brewery (79 North 11th Street), 8th Ward Brewery (300 Richardson Street), and Threes Brewing (113 Franklin Street).
According to a post-game post on The Meat Hook’s Instagram, “It was a beautiful day to get our asses handed to us by [Fortunato Brothers]. We had fun, we looked cool, we shotgunned beer, we made friends, we made enemies and 20k was raised for [#BocceforBus fundraiser] to keep the Swinging Sixties bus rolling another year. A successful day. Love you, Brooklyn.”
The Greenline 
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