REACHING OUT
Matthew Mandeli poses
with volunteer Doug Bunza
at Summer Blast in 2015.
club
LOU
Ridgewood’s
Matthew Mandeli
sets up club for the
developmentally
disabled
W
hen the Park West Tavern set out velvet ropes
and a red carpet on a
Friday night in July, it
was to welcome scores of developmentally disabled adults looking to
dance a summer night away at their
very own club.
36 2017 EDITION | SPECIAL PARENT
The one-night event, now in its
fourth year, has been named Club
LOU Tonight by its organizer, 19-yearold Ridgewood resident Matthew
Mandeli. And when the flashing lights
kicked on in the Oak Street restaurant’s second-floor banquet hall, the
more than 100 guests expected from
201magazine.com
MARION BROWN
WRITTEN BY STEVE JANOSKI