This evening at the Hilton Hotel in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, Hackensack Riverkeeper hosted its Tenth Annual Awards Celebration & Sustainable SeafoodFest. Before an audience of over 200 supporters and friends – which included several members of the New Jersey State Legislature, Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders, and mayors and councilpersons representing numerous Hackensack River Watershed communities – Captain Bill Sheehan bestowed honors upon two special awardees.
Andy Willner, Baykeeper Emeritus and founder of New York/New Jersey Baykeeper received Hackensack Riverkeeper’s Lifetime Achievement Award – only the second ever awarded by the group – in recognition of his visionary environmental leadership, his mentoring of Captain Sheehan, and the critical role he played in the founding of Hackensack Riverkeeper. Says Sheehan, “Andy’s support and guidance over the years has been central to the growth and success of Hackensack Riverkeeper.”
The City of Jersey City & Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy received the 2009 Friend of Hackensack Riverkeeper Award for taking the lead in urban sustainability, green initiatives, and open space and historic preservation. Over the past five years the city administration has held polluters accountable, championed brownfields redevelopment and stopped a controversial development scheme – in the process preserving the city’s Reservoir Number Three as public open space. As at previous benefits, the event featured sustainably harvested seafood hors d’oeuvres provided by Whole Foods Market and tasty after-dinner treats from Elegant Desserts. This year’s main course included Halibut from sustainably managed Alaskan waters. Also, benefit tickets were priced $25 less than in 2008 in order to make it easier for more people to attend the event.
In addition to the cocktail hour, awards presentation, dinner and dessert, the evening featured both Chance and Silent Auctions. Among the items whose sale raised critical funds for the environmental watchdog organization were: a limited-edition, autographed Baron Wolman print; a Shadowing Day with Brian Thompson of NBC-TV News; a kayak complete with full accessories, sports memorabilia, tickets to events at the Bergen Performing Arts Center, and a $250 gift card to Iron Chef Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill – one of New York’s hottest restaurants.
“In the decade that we’ve hosted this event, we have had some memorable parties honored some real heroes,” said Captain Sheehan. “This year’s event means even more to us as we celebrate the good work going on in Jersey City and the legacy of my ‘brother’ and mentor Andy Willner.”
Hackensack Riverkeeper greatly appreciates and extends its sincerest thanks to the sponsors of this year’s Milestone Event: Xchange at Secaucus Junction, Bergen County Utilities Authority, Public Service Electric and Gas Co., Whole Foods Market, The Chronicle of Hackensack & South Hackensack, Public Service Energy Group, Hatch Mott MacDonald, Kearny Federal Savings, Otterstedt Insurance Agency, Panasonic Corporation of North America, Shop Rite of Hackensack/Inserra Supermarkets, Inc., Jet Aviation Teterboro, and The Puffin Foundation.
“We’re still tallying the final results,” said Development Director Diane Saccoccia, the event’s coordinator. “But by all indications so far, it was a very profitable evening for Hackensack Riverkeeper – and one that will certainly help keep us on the job and on patrol.”
Andy Willner, Baykeeper Emeritus and founder of New York/New Jersey Baykeeper received Hackensack Riverkeeper’s Lifetime Achievement Award – only the second ever awarded by the group – in recognition of his visionary environmental leadership, his mentoring of Captain Sheehan, and the critical role he played in the founding of Hackensack Riverkeeper. Says Sheehan, “Andy’s support and guidance over the years has been central to the growth and success of Hackensack Riverkeeper.”
The City of Jersey City & Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy received the 2009 Friend of Hackensack Riverkeeper Award for taking the lead in urban sustainability, green initiatives, and open space and historic preservation. Over the past five years the city administration has held polluters accountable, championed brownfields redevelopment and stopped a controversial development scheme – in the process preserving the city’s Reservoir Number Three as public open space. As at previous benefits, the event featured sustainably harvested seafood hors d’oeuvres provided by Whole Foods Market and tasty after-dinner treats from Elegant Desserts. This year’s main course included Halibut from sustainably managed Alaskan waters. Also, benefit tickets were priced $25 less than in 2008 in order to make it easier for more people to attend the event.
In addition to the cocktail hour, awards presentation, dinner and dessert, the evening featured both Chance and Silent Auctions. Among the items whose sale raised critical funds for the environmental watchdog organization were: a limited-edition, autographed Baron Wolman print; a Shadowing Day with Brian Thompson of NBC-TV News; a kayak complete with full accessories, sports memorabilia, tickets to events at the Bergen Performing Arts Center, and a $250 gift card to Iron Chef Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill – one of New York’s hottest restaurants.
“In the decade that we’ve hosted this event, we have had some memorable parties honored some real heroes,” said Captain Sheehan. “This year’s event means even more to us as we celebrate the good work going on in Jersey City and the legacy of my ‘brother’ and mentor Andy Willner.”
Hackensack Riverkeeper greatly appreciates and extends its sincerest thanks to the sponsors of this year’s Milestone Event: Xchange at Secaucus Junction, Bergen County Utilities Authority, Public Service Electric and Gas Co., Whole Foods Market, The Chronicle of Hackensack & South Hackensack, Public Service Energy Group, Hatch Mott MacDonald, Kearny Federal Savings, Otterstedt Insurance Agency, Panasonic Corporation of North America, Shop Rite of Hackensack/Inserra Supermarkets, Inc., Jet Aviation Teterboro, and The Puffin Foundation.
“We’re still tallying the final results,” said Development Director Diane Saccoccia, the event’s coordinator. “But by all indications so far, it was a very profitable evening for Hackensack Riverkeeper – and one that will certainly help keep us on the job and on patrol.”
