General Meeting February 6, 2012 This NYPD Emerald Society Photo Gallery require the Adobe Flash Player plugin and a web browser with JavaScript enabled. The NYPD Emerald Society held the February 6, 2012 General Meeting at St. James RC Church in lower Manhattan. It was a full house in the downstairs hall of the historic church. As members came through the door, the NY Giants Super Bowl XLVI victory over the New England Patriots was the buzz that filled the room. Giant fans talked of Eli Manning's leadership, the great catches and tough defense that paved the way for a 21 to 17 win over the Pats. The last 6 weeks have certainly been captivating for NY fans with every must win game that Big Blue faced. By the time the meeting was called to order by President Sean Patterson, the membership was well-fed after enjoying the hot buffet. Chaplain Msgr. Martin Geraghty conducted the opening prayer where we remember our sick and deceased. Patterson called on Board Officers for a litany of Society events. Rosie Kelly announced the names of the six boys and six girls who finished tops among the eight-graders who sat down for the January competitive examination. The boys are Brennan Lee, John Coughlan, Andrew Murphy, Joseph Leidy, Martin Steffens and Joseph Downing. The girls are Erin Harrington, Tara Maloney, Caitlyn Taylor, Theresa Metzler, Amanda Lowery and Kaitlyn Sheridan. All of the winners will be honored at our May General Meeting in Queens. Past President Joe Keenan advised on the 3-Day Golf Outing set for June 11th thru the 13th at the Hudson Valley Resort. There is a limited amount of spots open at this time for this very popular getaway. More info will be appearing soon in our website. Keenan (NCLEES President) also briefed members on Police Week, held annually each May in Washington, DC. He was happy to report that our own Pipes & Drums will be the host band for this year's ceremonies. He thanked Bandmaster Brian Coughlan and Past Bandmaster John Tansey for their efforts in securing the services of our world renowned band. Tom Sullivan advised on the 47th Annual Winter Weekend noting that the trip was approaching a sellout soon. The excursion to the Villa Roma Resort has had a great response with hundreds heading north for a fun filled Presidents Weekend. Patty Donohue spoke on the Bronx St. Patrick's Parade scheduled for Sunday March 11th in Throgg's Neck. Eddie Patterson spoke on the Staten Island Parade set for Sunday March 4th along Forest Avenue. Afterwards there will be a Party at St. Peter's church hall. 1st Vice President Karyn Keenan spoke on the March 17th NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade. She advised on the strict rules that all marching contingents must abide by. The Parade Committee expects all units to be at their best as they head up 5th Avenue, with the eyes of NYC on them. Our members should look sharp in the uniform-of-the-day as we muster on West 44th Street at the start of the parade. Karyn also advised on the Post-Parade Party on the Pier. Patterson also reiterated some rules including no smoking on the pier and no NYPD uniforms worn at the celebration. Following some basic rules will make for an enjoyable time on our busiest Emerald day of the year. President Patterson went on to recognize a group of our younger members, who were also at our January meeting in Brooklyn. He thanked them for returning for another meeting. He urged more of our young card-carrying members to participate and become involved in Society business. Our organization offers an extensive list of events throughout the entire year with opportunities for everyone to join in. As the meeting closed some were getting ready to work the Giants Parade through the nearby Canyon of Heroes on Tuesday morning. While some of our retired members planned on watching the Champs from the sidelines or on a wide screen TV. Next month's meeting will return us to St. James. The March meeting is always an exciting and spirited gathering as the St. Patrick's Season revs up.