The unsung heroes of Brooklyn, those senior citizens who give freely of their time and efforts to better their communities will be officially recognized at a gala, September 23 at Brooklyn Borough Hall.
The HOPE Awards (Honor Our Phenomenal Elders) will pay tribute to more than 30 volunteers who were nominated by local businesses, organizations, political offices, families and friends.
Sponsored by the Senior Umbrella Network of Brooklyn (SUN-B) in partnership with the National Alliance for Healthy Communities, the festivities will include a culinary delight extravaganza, live music and raffle drawings, and will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“Senior volunteerism is too often overlooked in our ageist society,” says Vicki Ellner, founder and chairperson of SUN-B, an organization of professionals dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for Brooklyn’s 65+ population and their families. “So we created the HOPE Awards to formally acknowledge and thank those who have truly made a difference with their unswerving commitment to helping others.” Adds Annette Fisher, SUN-B board member and HOPE Awards chair “The support for this event has been extraordinary. Edwin Mendes-Santiago, Commissioner of the NYC Department for the Aging will be joining us as a speaker and presenter. Several business owners have donated raffle prizes and reserved ad space in our journal. We’re delighted to see so much enthusiasm on the part of the people of Brooklyn.
Co-sponsoring the HOPE Awards ceremony is the National Alliance for Healthy Communities, a Washington, DC-based foundation established to improve the quality of life for individuals and communities by recognizing and promoting individuals and programs that create and support a more sustainable quality of life. Their website is www.nafhc.org.
For more, go to www.sunb.org or contact Annette Fisher at 718-968-5242.
