Sandy Help For Jane’s Carousel Via Bake Sale Sunday, November 11

By on November 7, 2012 9:47 pm in brooklyn bridge park

One of the most shared photos of Superstorm Sandy’s wrath in Brooklyn last week was of Jane’s Carousel in DUMBO surrounded by flood waters. We learned on Tuesday that its lovingly restored horses, benches and woodwork made it through the storm with little or no damage. However, Jane Walentas noted, “the basement that houses all the electronics was totally flooded.” She added, “We’re optimistic that the Carousel will be fine, but it will probably take some time to get it fully restored to happily prancing again.”

BHB received word from area resident Megan Reilly Cayten that she and a “group of parents and kids who love the carousel” will be holding a bake sale this Sunday (11/11) from 11am – 1pm to help raise funds for the carousel’s restoration.

Cayten tells us that Ms. Walentas was “touched” by the idea for the event and will be opening the carousel’s building to the group so they can stay warm while holding the fundraiser.

The carousel is reportedly in working condition but its organ and the electronics which power it need to be replaced. The immediate goal of the bake sale is to raise $175 dollars, Cayten says, to cover the cost of a CD player they’ll need to replace the organ until it is back in working condition.

Jane’s Carousel opened in its current location in September 2011 amidst controversy regarding its placement in Brooklyn Bridge Park. It is currently maintained by the non-profit group Friends of Jane’s Carousel.

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  • jamal

    bake sale. Jane should pay for the upkeep, after all she wanted that carousel right by the water and cut down the only shade in the park. im still angry when i think they cut down all of the trees in the picnic grove to accomodate her ego trip.

    how about the middle school the walentas promised as part of the dumbo building project……..

    bake sale, unbelievable.

  • Hello Brooklyn

    I’m sorry, but a fundraiser for a CD player for the carousel seems so misguided in light of all of the suffering caused by Sandy in Red Hook, Coney Island, Brighton, the Rockaways, Staten Island, etcetera ad nauseam. How about using the money raised to support one of these communities? Jane’s a billionaire – I’m sure she’s got the repairs covered.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlsiLOnWCoI Arch Stanton

    A bake sale to raise $175? what an insult, The Walentas probably make that much every minute,
    Hopefully next years storm will be more successful and wash jane’s eyesore trinket into the river.

  • jamal

    no disrespect and belittling those parents trying to make a difference, but its kind of ridiculous, it would be their responsibility to help finance the repair.

  • Wiley E.

    I agree with Arch.

  • Pat Bianculli

    Think it would be best to donate the baked goods to the good people of Red Hook, breezy Point, Gerritson Beach or other communities that were so hard hit. The children will remember the experience of helping their neighbors more than the Carousel.

  • DIBS

    Depends upon what the baked goods are!!!!!

  • lori

    With all the people displaced from their homes in DUMBO, Red Hook and beyond, there should be a bake sale for a CAROUSEL? Give me a ……. break!

  • sue

    This is another case of very poor priorities. This thing should never had been placed there.. You can thank Regina Meyrer, Dan Squadron and Mayor Mike for that…Let Jane Walentes pay for it herself..People need to get real

  • GHB

    I agree with all of the above. Glad the carousel itself wasn’t damaged, but Jane Walentas can pay for the maintenance! Money and services should be going directly to those in our area who have lost everything, not to make sure that Jane’s Carousel is operable. Did it really have to be set up right on the water? Walentas should be ashamed!.

  • ColumbiaHeightster

    Wow, seems like we’ve found something that everyone can agree on!

    I applaud the effort of community members in trying to help, but like everyone else here, I think they should try to raise money for people that actually need it. Even if the Walentas family wasn’t filthy rich, fixing the audio for a carousel really shouldn’t be anywhere near the top of the list right now.

  • harumph

    I find the idea of a bake sale to help pay for the repairs utterly repulsive. Clearly the “parents” and Jane need to take a trip out to the Rockaways or Staten Island or or or and really understand the scope of devastation from this storm.

  • really

    I could see that a 3-5 year old possible cannot understand what happened, how people have been impacted and they just wanted to do something good by helping to restore something they losta and love.

    From a perspective of teaching the kids to care I can see that as a good thing.

    But, I am pretty much in agreement with everyone else above.

  • Gerry

    We feel that you are all too hard on Jane Walentas who is really NOT that bad yes she can be abrasive however her intentions are in the right place..

    A bake sale? Is this a joke? It will cost much more to repair the carousel than a bake sale can raise – is this some kind of a joke?

    A bake sale?

    What dope came up with this idea of a bake sale?

    @ Loir glad someone knows how to spell DUMBO correctly not write Dumbo even the NY Times pulls this boner all the time.

  • ColumbiaHeightster

    @Gerry, who is giving Jane Walentas a hard time? The only comments made here are that she can afford to fix it…which is factually correct.

  • Glenn

    Wowsers, such viciousness. Sure the Walentas can afford to fix it, and yes, there *are* people who are in dire need. But if you would like to instill a sense of community and accomplishment in a 5 year old, holding a bake sale for a carousel would make perfect sense.

  • harumph

    @Glenn, I know my kids, 5 and older were “instilling” their sense of community helping me make hot food (pasta with meat sauce) and helping bring it to people in need. All perspective in my opinion

  • Booboobear

    I love the carousel and I love cupcakes!!!! Let the cupcakes subsidize Jane Walentas and then Mr. Walentas can pay the balance! What is there to fight about!

  • fit4ufor3rd

    you guys should really venture towards south brooklyn, near jamaica bay and see what needs to be done here. somehow after losing 2 cars, the lower level of my house ,my roof, all the mechanicals , washer/dryer and my lawns and gardens, it is a bit hard for me to have any empathy for some shorted out fuses on your merry go round. but im sure it must be me, i am a bit stressed, my gym was destroyed too. hope you get to ride up and down real soon.

  • ParentResponse

    I am one of the parents and would like to say something. This is about kids, most of them 2-4 years old, who saw pictures of the carousel flooded and want to do something. They love the carousel, and Rachel and everyone who works there, and see it as part of their world. They do not know who put the carousel there, or that she is extremely rich, or presumably even what rich means. They want the horsies to work again, and to see Rachel there. Most of them have been helping their parents find clothes and food to donate; making hot food; and whatever else their parents are able and willing to do to contribute, and can involve them in. My children have done all of the above, and helped to relocate a friend of hers who lost her home. But there is not that much they can be involved in. They are not allowed in shelters. I don’t think anyone would suggest it would be helpful to bring them into the most devastated areas where they would be a distraction from what really needs to be done. Parents that are responsible for full-time child care also are limited in their ability to go there. Dropping things off locally may not provide them with a connection to where those things are going.

    This was not meant to be a referendum on the merits of the carousel, or a vehicle for people’s feelings about the Walentas family. It is not about the money, which will probably be under $200 and which most of us, and Jane for that matter, are very happy to go to any worthy cause, of which there are clearly many – in our surrounding communities and in Cuba and Haiti for that matter. No one is trying to suggest that this is a more or less righteous cause than any other, or that it should supersede any other, far more urgent, efforts. This is something small, tangible and concrete for some of our very small, very lucky children to do for a place and people (to be very clear, we are talking about Rachel, and Katie, and everyone else that works there) that they, and we, love.

    I am sorry that this idea has prompted such anger and vitriol. I am genuinely very, very sorry if by proposing it we have offended anyone. I hope that in the midst of emotions that are running very high, some people might be able to accept that this is a very small thing that some very small children wanted to do for a place and people that they love, and leave it at that.

  • Another Parent Response

    Nope – sorry! It’s disgusting.

    You can teach your very small children that there are needs and wants in life. Needs: shelter, food, clothing, jobs, education.
    Wants: a ride on a @#$%^& carousel! I am guessing that all of your needs are met and you want for very little.

  • also a parent to a toddler

    Thank you to the parents who are involved in the bake sale as well as everyone else who is working, in many different ways, to help those affected by the storm. I appreciate all of your efforts and thinks its wonderful to find ways to involve young children by including efforts that are particularly meaningful to them. There is a place for all sort of efforts to help.

  • ParentResponse

    To Another Parent Response: this is a forum for people who live in Brooklyn Heights. Is it really the most appropriate place to have a debate about our relative level of privilege?

    Since jobs make your list of needs, it seems relevant to point out that the carousel employs at least 6 people, one of whom also suffered significant damage to her apartment during the flood.

  • Another Parent Response

    @ParentResponse – I live in Brooklyn Heights as well and am extremely grateful for all that I have. I am not debating about anyone’s level of privilege. We were spared during the storm and we are lucky – and even luckier because we can afford to live in this beautiful neighborhood.

    You clearly have missed the point. You have the power to instill in your children a sense of empathy and compassion for OTHERS!
    This so called fundraiser is for your kids. They want their carousel back. It really is so misguided.

    If Jane Walentas doesn’t have the generosity to pay her employees while the carousel is being repaired, then I think you are making an even greater error in judgement. I thought you were raising money for a CD player anyway? It stated that the income from this event would take in less than $200. How is that going to put money in someone’s pocket to repair their apartment or replace items lost?

    Talk to your kids about what happened to others and tell them they can live without the carousel, and that they should be grateful they have a warm place to sleep at night and food to fill their bellies. My kids are a bit older. Don’t assume they can’t understand what can happened just because they can’t volunteer. They might just surprise you.

  • David on Middagh

    I lament as much as anyone here the way the trees and grass were usurped and carved up, but should we be kicking down lemonade stands and calling other people bad parents?

  • spm

    Please, can we calm down?

    Parent Response, I thank you for your words and can understand how a small child would want to help. The money can go to one of the Sandy-related charities. I am sure someone can donate a CD player.

    Stop making everything so political, people. It was meant well. It seems that more and more commentary on this site is becoming uglier and nastier each day – I find that very sad.

  • Another Parent Respone

    You know what I find sad, that people are living in our city in total ruin. Volunteer, donate and help them.

  • Gerry

    Forget the bake sale get out your check books and spend some money.

  • Gerry

    A number of parents here in Brooklyn Heights are repulsive, truely disgusting – and their kids a disrespectful brats.

  • really

    I wonder how many people here lamenting about kids trying to help for a carousel instead of donating $200 to a charity for sandy’s victims, ended up spending money without hesitation on going to dinner, movies, concerts, broadway shows, theater to entertain themselves while others were suffering.

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