Pioneers of 3rd Avenue

Getting To Know The Officers, And Pioneers and Civic Honorees Of The Merchants of Third Avenue

ONE of the big events on Third Avenue in Bay Ridge is the Annual Pioneers Reception now in its fifteenth year. The event honors those with long service to Third Avenue and also singles out community leaders active in local civic and business programs. This year's Pioneer Reception is set for October 27 at the Greenhouse Restaurant. Most of the photos on this page are from the 2007 gathering at Vesuvio Restaurant.

Shown at the 2007 Pioneers Reception are, L. to R.--Charles Otey, Pioneer Chair and executive secretary of Merchants of Third Avenue; Robert Howe, M.T.A. president ; state Senator Marty Golden; Rosemaria Cucurulllo, Third Avenue branch manager of Marathon Bank; and Civic Leader Kathleen Walker.

Left to right----Maureen Stramka, 2007 Civic Service Award Honoree; state Senator Marty Gloden; 2007 Pioneer Luigi Ritorto of Panache Salon and Ellen Lauer, Civic Service Award honoree.

Left to right. Atty. Jim McCall; state Senator Marty Golden; Susan Lavin, Civic Service Award honoree; Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny; and Pres. Robert Howe.

Arlene Keating, First Vice President of the Bay Ridge Community Council stands next to a seated Zoe Koutsoupakis of the Marathon Bank.. Seated back left is Bay Ridge Eagle publisher Dozier Hasty.

Harriet Rosenberg, a past Civic Award Honoree with Justice Geard Rosenberg.

Left to r--Vincenza Ilardo; Jason Lachman of BCAT, and Liz Gassimi of the Pioneer Committee.

Left to r--Pioneer John Bennett of the BallyBunion with wife Patricia Bennett and , Courtney Sessa, Pioneer Committee.

Left to r--Pioneer Chair Charles Otey, Ores, Robert Howe, 2007 Pioneers John Bennett and Dr. Jeff Hyman, founder and director of Treat 7& Release on Third Ave. with Presenter Sara Otey, M.T.A. 2nd Vice Pres. Wade Jabour and Pioneer Luigi Ritorto.

Left to r--Rhea McCone, M.T.A. corresponding secretary M.T.A. 1st vice president Jay Sessa; 2007 Pioneer John Bennett; and M.T.A. Treasurer Catherine DiTirro..

AT AN EARLIER M.T.A meeting, left to right, Zone Coordinator Gerry Morris of Chadwick's, Pioneer Charles Otey; Pres.Robert Howe; 1st V.P. Jay Sessa; former vice president Kathy Kocur; Treasurer Catherine DiTirro; 2nd Vice President Wade Jabour with Secretary Lloyd Berg, secretary of Merchants of Third Avenue.

Photos courtesy of M.T.A Georgene Benvenuto