Move over, Carrie and Clay, there are some golden kids on the block and they’ve stolen your thunder %u2013 at least in Brooklyn.
Fourteen ebullient elders, aged 50 to 85, put a sparkling new twist on the phrase ‘golden oldies’ when they polished up on the vocal cords and took to the stage for a rainbow of show-stopping gems during the Third Annual Senior Idol song contest at Xaverian High School, 7100 Shore Road, emceed by legendary television and radio personality, Joe Franklin.
Sponsored and organized by Bay Ridge Chapter 5055, AARP, the contest drew a bevy of sweet-voiced boroughites, who took to the mic at the parochial, all-boys school, where they belted out a succession of crowd-pleasers for a rapt audience of more than 600, plus vied for cash prizes and musical bragging rights.
Helping the audience judge the competition were Borough President Marty Markowitz, Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny, Councilman Vincent Gentile and State Senator Marty Golden.
Spoiled though they were for choice, the judges and the audience agreed upon the winner %u2013 Tina Salerno of Midwood, who was awarded $500 from TD Bank for her rollicking version of the favorite, “Makin’ Whoopee.”
A 50/50 raffle helped raise $1,000 for the Xaverian Music Department, and local merchant Long Liquors provided the wine.
“It was an extraordinary night, the turn-out was amazing and the talent was superb,” said Al Asfazadour, president of Bay Ridge Chapter 5055, AARP, which meets on the first Monday of the month at the Bay Ridge Community Service Center, 6935 4th Avenue.
For more information, call 718-833-0220.
