Celebrating a Good Civic Year

The Park Slope Civic Council honored the work of organizations, volunteers and professionals, and students to keep our community great, at this year’s General Meeting on June 7. The annual celebration was held in New York Methodist Hospital’s Cafeteria and Garden.

Among those in attendance were the recipients of the Civic Council’s annual scholarships for community service, given to three graduating students in the secondary schools based in John Jay High School. This year’s winners of the $1,000 college scholarships were Imani Johnson from the Secondary School for Law (top, with Civic Council President Michael Cairl and Scholarship Committee Chair Joan Emerson), who will be going to Spelman College; Isabel Mendoza from Park Slope Collegiate (center, with counselor Lisa Calderon), who will be attending City College; and Luisaidy Manzueta of the Secondary School for Journalism (bottom, with retiring principal Abby Reade), who is planning on attending the Alfred State College of Technology.

The George Lovgren Awards for community service followed on the evening’s agenda. The honors are named for the Park Slope resident who in the 1960s worked tirelessly to save the Union Street firehouse (today, Squad 1) from closure. Former trustee David Alquist introduced Historic District Committee Chair Peter Bray, the volunteer recipient, while trustee John Casson listed the accomplishments of the Professional Award winner, Sister Mary Maloney.

Greg Sutton, Grants Committee chair, talked about the 13 local groups who received nearly $8,000 in this year’s Civic Council community grants.

Last but not least, the entire slate of new trustees was approved: Peter Bray, Joni Kletter, Kim Maier, Thomas Miskel, Jeff Roth, and Joe Rydell. You can read more about these volunteer trustees in the spring issue of Civic News.

Finally, our thanks to New York Methodist Hospital for hosting the party, as well as to everyone who celebrated with us by bringing some great food and drink to the always-fun potluck dinner that followed the official meeting.

Photos by Jonathan Lief

from the Summer 2012 Civic News