Garden City Pack 55 Cub Scout Joseph Bereswill leads CFF Great Strides participants in the Pledge of Allegiance from the steps of Hofstra’s Adams Playhouse Garden City Cub Scout Pack 55’s Color Guard was honored to lead-off the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) 2010 Great Strides walk at Hofstra University. The first, second and third grade scouts, who attend the Homestead Primary and Stratford Elementary schools, were assisted in their efforts by four boy scouts from Troop 351 in Merrick.

Great Strides is the CFF’s largest fund-raising event, providing opportunities for thousands of residents from all over Long Island and the tri-state area to help raise funds to combat this serious disease by forming teams in their workplace, clubs, and with neighbors, families and friends. This year’s 3-K Great Strides walk began on the steps of the university’s Adams Playhouse, in the center of the campus.

Garden City Pack 55 Color Guard, from left front, Cub Scouts Joseph Bereswill, Michael Bereswill, James DeMaro, Timmy DeMaro and Pack Leader Kim DeMaro, are joined by Ronald McDonald and Boy Scouts from Merrick’s Troop 351, from left rear, James Harrington, Chris Courtney, Bryan McDonald, Henry Bay and Assistant Scout Leader Glenn Harrington before the start of CFF’s 2010 Great Strides event. The Pack 55 Cub Scouts all walked with “Jake’s Team” in honor of their neighbor and friend, Jake Genova. More than 100 team members, including one from California, gathered to show love and support for “Jake’s Team‚” at the event.

According to CFF officials, the 2009 national Great Strides campaign raised more than $35 million to help find a cure for CF, a devastating genetic disease affecting tens of thousands of children and young adults throughout the U.S. Research and care supported by CFF is significantly helping to extend the quality of life for those with the illness, which continues to take away the lives of our nation’s young. Village residents wanting to help CFF in its efforts to find a CF cure, and join Jake’s Team, can contact Danielle Genova at: dmg80gc@yahoo.com or (516) 248-8686.

Starting off on the right foot in the CFF Great Strides walk is Garden City Pack 55 Cub Scout Timmy DeMaro, center, flanked by Boy Scouts James Harrington, left, and Chris Courtney, both of Merrick Troop 351 Cub Pack 55, which is sponsored by the nationally renowned Cathedral of the Incarnation in the heart of the village, is an interdenominational organization dedicated to providing ongoing cultural, educational and social fun and enrichment for boys in grades 1 through 5, who attend any elementary school in Garden City. Cub Pack 55 believes in community and civic awareness and is proud to help support CFF and Jake’s Team. To learn more about how to join Cub Pack 55 and enjoy its many programs and events, contact: Pack Leader Kim DeMaro at 741-4760, email: kdemaro@aol.com.

Jake’s Team: More than 100 members of “Jake’s Team‚” turned out at Hofstra to show love and support for Garden City’s Jake Genova and raise money to help cure CF. Sitting on the ground in the center with his father, Matt, left, and mother, Danielle, is Jake Genova. His younger brother Max is standing directly behind him