Roscoe wins top Renaissance prize

BETHEL, NY — It was a cold night, but the praise for volunteers was warm as the awards for the 2008 Sullivan Renaissance projects were handed out at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts on August 11.

The top prize, the $50,000 Golden Feather Award, which was secured and awarded by assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, went to volunteers from the hamlet of Roscoe for their work on a gateway project of town benches, trout sculptures, outdoor murals and gardens.

In all, 46 community projects were undertaken this season, and a dozen projects received grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. Special awards were given for a “Showing of Flowers,” “Project Maintenance,” “Historic Preservation” and “Environmental Stewardship.”

Other politicians on hand for the event were U.S. Congressman Maurice Hinchey and state senator John Bonacic.

Bonacic told the audience, “There is no group such as this in any county in the United States that achieves more than this one.”

The Sullivan Renaissance program to beautify communities in Sullivan County is in its eighth year. Go to www.sullivanrenaissance.org/press for more information on the winners. For photos, see Community Spotlight on page 13.