Leaders of community honored for Sullivan pride

LIBERTY, NY — Well-deserving community leaders will be recognized at the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce 14th annual Pride of Sullivan County Award ceremony on Sunday, May 1 at the Club at Villa Roma. A gala reception will be held at 11:00 a.m. followed by brunch and the awards reception at 12:00 noon.

Honored as Businessperson of the Year will be Rick Lander, owner and general manager of Lander’s River Trips. Started in 1955, Lander’s River Trips boasts four campgrounds and ten river locations and more than 150 employees.

Receiving the Distinguished Achievement Award will be Andrew Krieger, the founder and CEO of IMGE Emergency Relief Fund, an India-focused, Tsunami relief organization.

Maurice Gerry will receive the Distinguished Service Award. A self-proclaimed environmentalist, he has been purchasing, renovating, landscaping and restoring selected historic sites since 1985.

The Chamber will also recognize key individuals on a township level.

•Denise Frangipane of the Town of Bethel co-founded an experiential theater group to educate others about domestic violence and helped establish Sullivan County’s first women’s conference. She is currently the program officer with the Gerry Foundation.

•Sue Bodenstein of the Town of Callicoon is the owner and operator of the Secret Garden on Main Street in Jeffersonville. She has served as the secretary/treasurer for the Jeffersonville Fire district for approximately 17 years and has been a member of the Jeffersonville Ambulance Corps for 20 years.

•John Bernas of the Town of Cochecton is a self-taught tradesman who expanded a one-man construction business into the largest employer in the Town of Cochecton. He currently employs over 130 people. He has served as a volunteer fireman for 30 years.

•Ruth Brustman of the Town of Delaware is the branch manager of Bank of America in Callicoon. She has served the banking community for over 30 years. She is a member of the Callicoon Kiwanis Club, Callicoon Business Association, Catholic Daughters of America, St. Mary’s Church Parish Council, is treasurer of the Kautz Thorwell Scholarship Fund and charter member and past treasurer of the Catskill Chapter Business and Professional Women.

•Murray and Ellen Bresky of the Town of Fallsburg are lifelong members of the Community. The Breskys have been in the poultry business for more than 80 years. They rejuvenated their large poultry processing plant back in the early ’90s starting with 15 employees working three days a week. Now they employ more than 200 people.

•Paul Rausch of the Town of Forestburgh spent 33 years teaching different languages at Monticello High School where he also served as president of the Monticello Teachers Association and department chair of foreign languages. He was a New York fire instructor for the county for 11 years and served four terms as supervisor for the town. In 1990 he was ordained a Deacon in the Roman Catholic Church serving at the St. Thomas Aquinas parish.

•Vincent Luciani of the Town of Fremont was a bandleader and currently is the choir director at St. Mary’s Church in Obernburg. He was the engineer, designer and builder of a gazebo, a handicap access and a memorial park on the grounds. He was the driving force behind the interior renovations for St. Mary’s 150-year anniversary in 2004.

•George and Toni Kawalski of the Town of Highland are the owners of Hickory Haven, a hotel formerly known as Reber’s Hotel. They poured money and love into the renovation of this establishment.

•Allen Bérubé of the Town of Liberty has a passion for all things Liberty. His indelible touch can be seen up and down Main Street and in the community. Most recently, he plans to bring the Munson Diner, a historic diner from New York City, to downtown Liberty.

•Ann Danuff of the Town of Lumberland is a member of the Lumberland Senior Citizens Club, the Town of Lumberland Environmental Management Council, the county Senior Legislative Action Committee and the Town of Lumberland AARP.

•Veronica Heller of the Town of Mamakating is the owner/operator of D & R Grooming and Pet Supply. She has served as the chairwoman of the Wurtsboro Founder’s Day Street Fair for three years and has been an active member of the Wurtsboro Board of Trade since 2000 where she currently sits on the executive board as vice president.

•Charlie and Justine Blume of the Town of Neversink is in the business of apple tree care and has nurtured many old apple orchards in and around the area, including one at the Frost Valley YMCA, a 50- year-old apple orchard.

•Craig Sherwood of the Town of Rockland is the owner of Kings. His began at Kings as a busboy when he was 14. He is now the successful proprietor. He’s a member of the Livingston Manor Chamber of Commerce, past president and member of the Livingston Manor Rotary Club and a volunteer for the Livingston Manor Renaissance Group.

•Paula Kay of the Town of Thompson has served as president of the Rock Hill Business and Community Association for the past six years. She brought in a sewer for the Rock Hill Business Community, a walking path throughout the community, and a new and state-of-the-art playground facility. She worked to create a Veterans Park along Route 17.

•John and Yoke DiGiorgio of the Town of Tusten established their company, Nature’s Art, in 1997. In 2003, they created the Delaware Valley Wildlife Journal, a quarterly wildlife publication. They also co-founded and organize the award-winning EagleFest in Narrowsburg.

For more information call 845/292-8500.