Astoria Diner Hosts Drive-In Movie For Elmhurst Hospital Staff

ASTORIA, QUEENS — Some of New York City's health care heroes got to enjoy a socially-distanced night out with their families thanks to Astoria's Bel Aire Diner, which hosted a drive-in movie night Tuesday for Elmhurst Hospital workers.

Astoria resident Keeley McNamara, who works as a midwife at the hospital, pitched Bel Aire Diner on the idea after she heard about the diner's drive-in movie nights from news reports.

The diner's movie nights have been a runaway success since they started earlier this month — so much so that tickets were running out long before McNamara and her coworkers at the hospital could check their phones.

So, McNamara teamed up with Bel Aire to host her own movie night.

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She partnered with the Astoria-based grassroots organization Queens Together to raise money to fund the screening, hitting her $750 goal in just a day and earning a matching $750 donation from the group.

“I think the drive-in is just such a brilliant idea of being able to get out and celebrate without putting yourself at risk," McNamara told Patch in a phone interview.

Forty-five cars of Elmhurst Hospital staffers and their families pulled up to Bel Aire Diner to watch the movie "The Princess Bride," a recommendation from McNamara's daughter.

Queens Together co-founder Jonathan Forgash called the event a "nice, neighborly group effort for a really good cause."

McNamara encouraged others to organize similar events for workers on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic, and she expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support and assistance that has already come.

"It’s the things like this that have made us feel human over the last couple months," she said.