The Breeder's Cup Garden City Community Fund - Family Relief Fund Benefit, scheduled to take place Friday, Oct. 26, at St. Paul's Field House, is taking shape. The fund has gotten an overwhelming community response, raising over $50,000 to date. Established specifically to benefit Garden City families affected by the Sept. 11 tragedy, the fund's Oct. 26 benefit is expected to raise over $100,000. A silent auction of many donated items will also add to money raised that evening.

The benefit will run from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. The New York Racing Association (NYRA) sponsored event will include fine food, beverage and music, all of which is being donated by local residents and businesses.

Tickets to the event are a $100 donation. Please make checks payable to GCCF-Family Relief Fund (please write "Benefit" on the memo line). For other donations, please make checks payable to the GCCF-Family Relief Fund. Tickets and donations should be mailed to The GCCF - Family Relief Fund, P.O. Box 235, Garden City, NY 11530. Indicate "Benefit" on envelope if tickets are being requested.

"The support from the village residents and the businesses has been unbelievable," Cody said. "This fund-raising event is going to raise a lot of money to help our many neighbors who have been affected by the tragedy." Joanne Adams, benefit chairperson, said, "Everyone wants to participate or help in some way to make this evening an outstanding success."

Various committees, including Decorating, Food & Beverage, Program, Silent Auction, Set up & Clean up, could use help. Those who'd like to help should call the G.C. Community Fund office at 747-4603 or Adams at 248-7132. Invitations for the benefit were mailed to all village residents this past weekend. To donate silent auction items call Mary Kate Repetti at 741- 4115.

Irish Tenor Ronan Tynan will sing at the Oct. 26 Family Relief Fund Benefit at St. Paul's Field House in Garden City.

"I have been a frequent visitor to Garden City and wanted to do something to help the many Garden City families that were affected by the Sept. 11 tragedy," Tynan said. Matt Cody, president of the Garden City Community Fund said, "Mr. Tynan's offer is just an example of the overwhelming support the Family Relief Fund has received."

Tynan, who hails from Johnstown County, Kilkenny, Ireland, began a late singing career. After initially training as a doctor, he began his formal musical studies at the age of 33 at The College of Music in Dublin. Dr. Veronica Dunne was his teacher. After winning the John McCormack Cup at the Feis Ceoil (National Singing Festival) in Dublin in 1992, he subsequently went to Genoa, Italy to study with Ugo Benelli, a famed Italian tenor.

In 1994, Tynan made his debut in the National Concert Hall in Dublin. The Irish Times' review said, "A sob rich Italianate tenor voice with wonderful facility." In October of 1994 he gained entry into The Royal Opera School in Manchester, England, where he began studying with Tony Roden, a famed Australian tenor.

Tynan also placed in the Young Artists Opera Competition in England. Following this in 1996 he moved further afield, being named "Best Male Voice" at the prestigious International Singing Festival in Marmande, France. He was also the only Irish finalist to be selected to sing in the finals of The International Pavarotti Competition that year.

Tynan has sung with numerous orchestras throughout Europe and the United States. He has performed numerous tributes with different orchestras to Mario Lanza, receiving critical acclaim from musical critics. His operatic debut was made performing in the tenor role as Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly in Dublin. More recently he has been offered a role by the Michigan State Opera in Detroit for 2002 and the Virginia Opera, date to be decided. In September of 1998, his first solo album, My Life Belongs to You hit the music charts at number 5 and went platinum by December.

In October of 1998, he was asked to be a member of "The Irish Tenors." This project to date has five albums to its credit and has sold over 1.5 million albums worldwide. They have performed in three PBS specials, which have been a resounding success for the network.

In December 1999, Ronan performed for three weeks at Feinsteins in The Regency Hotel on Park Avenue in New York City. His first cabaret received critical acclaim from both The New York Times and The New York Post.

He has been the subject of three documentaries. First by the BBC in 1984 at the Paralympics in Long Island; second by the RTE titled, Doctor Courageous, a documentary about his life; and third on 20/20 when Barbara Walters profiled his life in 1999 and 2000.

More recently he has performed for President and Mrs. Bush in Washington, D.C. He has also sung at a gala concert at Kennedy Center as a soloist. His autobiography, Halfway Home, is being published by Simon and Schuster and will be released in November. From 1981 to 1990 Tynan competed nationally and internationally as an athlete in track and field events. To date, he still holds the world records in the discus, shot put, and long jump for bilateral amputees. He amassed 18 world records over this period, six World Championship gold medals and eight Olympic medals, five of which are gold.

Tynan is also an avid equestrian as well as a breeder of horses. In 1998, he represented Ireland in Arnheim, Germany as a member of The Irish Amateur Equestrian Team where he placed fifth in the Grand Prix and third in the team event.

On Friday, Oct. 26, St. Paul's will be a sea of red, white and blue. Residents have been asked to lend their American flags for the evening to be hung from the ceiling in an awesome display of village patriotism.

The GCCF will carefully tag each flag and return them to residents. Flags should be delivered to B.J. deLennoy, 5 Maple Street (near Mulberry Ave.) in Garden City. Call 741-9428 or e-mail bjdeLennoy@aol.com for more information. Residents are asked to drop off their flags no later than Sun. Oct. 21.