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At your service

ABIS students dish up breakfast and Bingo for Senior Citizens Club

By Mary Ellen Zangara Special Writer
   The word’s getting around — when Alexander Batcho Intermediate School’s eighth-grade class invites members of Manville’s Senior Citizens Club to breakfast, don’t be late.
   Last week, 80 seniors enjoyed a hot breakfast, with a side order of Bingo, as the students served breakfast for two hours in the school cafeteria.
   Michelle Mongillo, the eighth-grade class adviser and her students invited the Manville senior citizens to come to the school to have breakfast and play bingo.
   ”We are more than excited to have you here and I am glad to see a lot more faces than we had last year and that is wonderful,” Ms. Mongillo greeted the hungry club members. “The students have worked very hard in trying to serve you the best that they can so I hope you enjoy it.”
   And there was a lot to enjoy — the meal was catered by Bagelicious on Main Street, and included eggs, bacon, sausage, home fries, bagels, coffee, tea and juice.
   After getting their fill, they played a few games of bingo with a chance of winning prizes.
   This was the second bingo and breakfast which was funded through project PRIDE (a grant from the Manville Education Association). Last year’s event was funded through the United Way.
   ”It was such a success last year and I had such positive feedback from it so I decided to do it again,” Ms. Mongillo said. “Hopefully, it will be a biannual or annual event for the community of Manville.”
   Two of her eighth-grade classes participated this time and she hopes to have the other two classes participate next time if she can get the funding for the breakfast.
   Ms. Mongillo went to a senior citizen meeting and invited them by handing out flyers.
   This was a slightly larger crowd than last year as she thinks the word was spread by those who attended the previous one.
   ”I think that this is a wonderful affair that these children have done for us and we do appreciate it,” Skip Picano said. “Everything is very, very nice.”
   Breyner Garcia helped with the food and also helped the seniors when they came in.
   He along with classmate Rene Murillo served as waiters by carrying the food back to the tables for the seniors.
   ”I think this was very nice to have them come into ABIS to meet them and talk to them,” Rene said. “It was very interesting.”
   Senior Citizen Club President Natalie Walkoviak wanted to thank the students.
   ”I would like to thank the eighth- graders and Michelle the teacher for doing this for us for the second year in a row and it is really wonderful and we really appreciate it,” Ms. Walkoviak said.