Bridge Church 'Battles' for Callahan Family

It didn't take thelong to figure out what the village of Malverne is all about.

"Malverne is like a close-knit family," said Christine Paolino, the pastor of the church, which into the building they now share with the Malverne Jewish Center on Hempstead Avenue in November 2010.

In April, Paolino was sworn in as a village chaplain during a ceremony where she also met then Deputy Mayor James Callahan. A few weeks later, Callahan passed away after a short battle with cancer at the age of 42, leaving behind a wife and four children - the oldest 12, the youngest just 4 years old.

"I was floored," Paolino said upon learn of Callahan's death. "Our church is very family oriented. We have many young families and here was this young man with such young children. It struck us."

So when the church decided to host a Battle of the Bands this month, they chose the Callahan family as their beneficiaries. They charged $5 to $7 for admission to the event, which featured four bands and other acts throughout the night, and were able to raise $2,000 from the sale of tickets and snacks, which they donated to The Callahan Family Trust, a fund established after Jim's passing to help pay for his children's education.

The church presented Patricia Callahan and her four kids - Thomas, Katherine,, Elizabeth, and Christina - with the donation during their Sunday 'Back to School' service on Sept. 18.

"This small gesture lets her know that the work her husband did goes beyond his life," Paolino said. "He made an indellible mark on the hearts of the people in this community and outside of it."

Patricia Callahan said she was “very touched" that the church chose to give the proceeds of their event to her family. "Their generosity is greatly appreciated in our time of need.”

Paolino, who wants her church to continue to be a positive influence in the village, added," Family helps family."