Posted on 02/02/2006 11:24:04 AM PST by SmoothTalker
An unauthorized fund-raiser supposedly planned to benefit the grieving family of an Annadale teen-ager killed by a drunken driver ended up causing more pain, when the girl's image was used to advertise alcoholic drink specials.
The parents of Mariana Edkins, 18, were horrified to find their daughter's friends had been circulating fliers advertising a party planned for tomorrow night with three drink specials, including "$2 Soco Lime Shots till 12," superimposed over a photo of a smiling Miss Edkins.
Friday-night parties have been a regular fixture for the past two years at the scene of the scheduled event, ZLounge, a Manhattan-style bar and dance club located at 630 Midland Ave., in Midland Beach.
Jose Velez, one of the head party promoters, said the idea for the special tribute came about three weeks ago when he was approached by a group of Miss Edkins' friends, including, he said, Josephine DiDonato, 18, of Charleston -- who was driving the car in which Miss Edkins was riding the night of the crash.
Velez said he was asked to print between 200 and 250 fliers advertising a "Special dedication fund-raiser event for the Remembrance of [Mariana] Edkins."
Velez said that the plan was to donate 30 percent of the night's proceeds from the door charge -- $15 for guests ages 18 to 21, and $10 for those 21 and older.
He expected to raise about $300 to $400 for the family to give to any charity they wished.
But the sentiment was lost on the Edkins family, who were angered at the use of their daughter's picture in connection with a party they knew nothing about until coming across the flier on the Internet. Even more upsetting was the party's emphasis on alcohol.
"The family is not interested in this money," said Miss Edkins' uncle, Manhattan attorney Edward W. Armstrong, adding that the Edkins family has said they would not accept any funds raised as a result of any unauthorized event.
"It would be like dirty money to me," said Mary Ann Edkins, mother of the victim. "My daughter was killed because of this. I don't need money, and I don't need it from that kind of thing."
Miss Edkins was killed and Miss DiDonato was seriously wounded after John Sambuco, 21, of Rossville, crashed into Miss DiDonato's car on Woodrow Road in the early hours of Jan. 10.
Sambuco, who allegedly was high on beer and the prescription anti-anxiety medicine Xanax at the time of the crash, was indicted on murder charges Monday.
Miss DiDonato was unavailable for comment last night.
Velez said cancellation e-mails would be sent to Miss Edkins' friends, and the club will post large signs announcing that the party tomorrow night is no longer a fund-raiser, and has no connection at all to the Edkins family.
"It might have been done with good intent by kids her age, but it's in poor taste, especially with $3 rum & cokes and $3 vodka drinks," Armstrong said.
"I just felt sick that my beautiful daughter would be on a postcard like that," Mrs. Edkins said.
Armstrong, who had planned to serve the lounge's owners with a cease-and-desist letter this morning, said the family "vehemently objects to the commercially exploitative use of Mariana's picture and name in a way advertising or promoting the consumption and use of alcohol."
"This family doesn't want anyone else hurt," he explained.
Club owner Eddie Finkelshteyn said he hadn't heard about the plan for tomorrow's party.
"Aside from them using my place, I don't have anything to do with it," he said. "They just rent this place to do this party."
Mrs. Edkins said she hoped none of her daughter's friends would go to the party. "I can't worry anymore," she said. "I just want to think about Mariana."
Yesterday was particularly tough for the Edkins family, faced with the first day returning to their normal routine. Mariana's father, Charles, a city bus operator, returned to work. His route, the S74, takes him along Richmond Road, where his daughter used to wave to him from the window of the Hillside Market, Dongan Hills, where she worked as a cashier. The end of the trip takes him along Woodrow Road, where flowers, candles and pictures commemorate Mariana at the scene of the crash where her life was lost.
The Edkins family is considering holding a barbecue this summer in honor of Mariana, to raise money for charities like Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and possibly to purchase first communion dresses for girls at a poor Catholic parish on the Island.
Mrs. Edkins' wish for her daughter's friends is that they honor Mariana's memory by doing good for others rather than spending a Friday night in a bar.
The distraught mother said she worries that if her daughter's friends get in the habit of using alcohol to celebrate, they may have missed the lesson of Mariana's death. "Especially if your friend is killed by a drunk driver," she said, "you don't drink."
Maura Yates is a news reporter for the Advance. She may be reached at myates@siadvance.com.
I'm not sure I follow the logic: was it Mariana's friends' drinking that killed her?
Prov 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.
No, someone just like them did.
Did not the late, great Rodney Dangerfield complain that there was a two drink minimum at his Alcoholics Anonymous meetings?
Open bar at the AA I go to.
Something tells me this is neither the time nor the place to share my tragic remembrances of my young friend who was killed in the invasion of Panama by a "Beer Bazooka".
Owl_Eagle(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
It's not a question of intelligence; it's a question of maturity and judgement.
While it can be argued that many 50-year-olds similarly lack judgement, and certainly haven't similarly learned from experience, I can only respond that, in a perfect world, I wouldn't allow them to vote either, but that won't be an option in my lifetime.
Common sense should tell us that percentagewise, the number of unqualified young people is disproportionately and significantly larger in any event.
And yes, I would absolutely exclude from this discussion youngsters who are serving or have served in the active armed forces.
Robert Heinlein BUMP?
It's gotta be better than the Vodka Rocket that claimed the life of my dear uncle back in Korea.
When my daughter was in high school, one of her fellow students was killed while driving drunk.
At the gathering at his family's relatives after the funeral, they had beer, wine, etc, and my daughter said, that it was made available to his school age chums.
Grave robbing. Using a dead girl to promote a party without the family's approval. Then forking over only 30% of the proceeds from the door. All profits from the drinks will be pocketed by the promoters.
in bad taste? yes .... against any laws?? nope.... ok proceed with the party.
Welcome to America. Land of the morally confused.
"Did not the late, great Rodney Dangerfield complain that there was a two drink minimum at his Alcoholics Anonymous meetings?"
Doesn't sound at all like something he would have said. You must be thinking of someone else.
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