Greater Huntington Civic Group Announces Honorees of 2nd Annual Greater H.O.P.E. Awards

-- Event Will Also Feature Remarks from Town Supervisor Frank Petrone and Town Council Members --

Greater Huntington Civic Group Inc. President Steven Spucces announced today that six distinguished Honorees have been selected as the recipients of the 2013 Greater H.O.P. E. Award for outstanding service, good works or other charitable endeavors that reflect favorably on the Township
of Huntington. H.O.P.E. stands for Huntington’s Organizations, People & Places of Excellence.     

“We are pleased and proud to announce our honorees who have distinguished themselves by their service to the community,” said Mr. Spucces. “They represent what makes our Township great – people and organizations that have an unwavering dedication and commitment to serving the needs and interests of our unique and diverse community with an impact that, in some cases, reaches far beyond the Township’s borders.” And, for the first time, the Group has chosen a local corporation as one of its honorees.
  
The Honorees:
-- Jack Abrams, of East Northport, is widely known for his dedication as a teacher and principal in the Huntington Union Free School District. He was also the founder of the District’s School Heritage Museum. His 57-year association with the District culminated in School Board’s decision in 2008 to rename the Huntington Intermediate School in Huntington Station as the
Jack Abrams School.  

-- Rob Goldman, of Huntington, is an interdisciplinary artist, educator and author. He has collaborated with museums, schools, and nonprofit organizations on a variety of community-based art and education projects that focus on social issues, including the “Just Like Me” Project, a progressive drug prevention program for Long Island students. Mr. Goldman is an internationally published photographer and author of Shooting from the Heart: Creating Passion and Purpose in Your Life and Work. He is also an adjunct professor at Suffolk County Community College.  

-- Nina Kuscsik, of Huntington Station, is a sports pioneer who was recently inducted into the New York Road Runners Hall of Fame. She was the first woman ever to run in the New York City Marathon, which she has won twice. Ms. Kuscsik has also been a longtime advocate for women in sports.

-- Andrea Miller, of Northport, raised much-needed funds to establish a Nassau Community College scholarship for Denis Caceres, whose father was murdered in an attempted robbery on the front lawn of their Huntington Station home.    

-- Soke Joe Droual, of Huntington, is the proprietor of New York Martial Arts, which has been building children’s confidence and self-esteem Islandwide for over 40 years. In 2008, he was inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame for his high level of dedication and training. Soke Joe has also been a generous supporter of various community causes, including Huntington Hospital’s 2013 “Strike Against Cancer” Event, Suffolk County’s “Adopt-A-Highway” Program, as well as anti-gang and anti-bullying initiatives.  

--Sutherland Building Group, a local corporation comprised of four companies that serve the construction and building trades industries, is celebrating 50 years of business in Huntington Station. The Group includes W.J. Northridge Construction Corporation; Metro Interior Distributors, Inc.; Hi-Lume Corporation; and Liberty Doorworks, Inc. These companies have supported numerous local charities, including Building Homes for Heroes, Long Island Youth for Christ, the PAL Sports Scholarship Fund, Harborfields Booster Club, as well as care package drives for armed services personnel, among other charitable endeavors.     

Each honoree will be presented with the Greater H.O.P.E. Award at the Gala event, which will include remarks by Huntington Town Supervisor Frank Petrone and Town Council Members.    
  
The Gala is scheduled for Saturday, June 22nd, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., at the Huntington Crescent Club in Huntington. Individual Ticket sales, as well as various Advertising and Sponsorship programs, are available for the event. For more information, visit the Group’s website at greaterhuntingtoncivicgroup.com or contact greaterhuntington@gmail.com.       

The Greater Huntington Civic Group Inc. was formed to support any and all endeavors that strive to create a better quality of life for all who live and work in the Township of Huntington, including advocating for more stringent policies aimed at eradicating illegal housing; working with housing organizations to revitalize blighted properties; and promoting small businesses, which provide much-needed economic vitality to the Township.     

The Greater H.O.P.E. Award is bestowed upon an individual, organization or business that has displayed outstanding service to the community of the Township of Huntington and/or has, through good works or endeavors, enhanced the reputation or renown of the Township on a local, regional, national or international level.