‘Evening of Thanks’ at Historic Brecknock Hall

Greenport, NY (October 10, 2007)—The East End Arts Council will honor several very special community members who have been, over many years, staunch champions of the arts on the East End. The Evening of Thanks will take place at the restored Brecknock Hall on Saturday, November 3, 2007, from 4-6:30 pm. The event is open to the public and will include food and wine from acclaimed East End restaurants and vineyards; tickets are $60/pp. and can be purchased at the East End Arts Council.

Honorees:

Senator Ken LaValle, Public Official for the Arts– Senator Kenneth P. LaValle, (R-C-I, Port Jefferson) was first elected to the Senate in 1976. As a former Executive Director of the Senate Education Committee, with an extensive background in public education, he brings a wealth of knowledge to state government and plays a key role in shaping education policy. Senator LaValle’s achievements in education and higher education are matched by a distinguished record in enacting legislation for health care, the environment, property tax relief, and increased opportunities for the disabled, senior citizens, veterans and firefighters. In recognition of his outstanding dedication to the people of New York State, Senator LaValle has been repeatedly named “Man of the Year” and “Legislator of the Year” by diverse groups of local and statewide organizations. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including SUNY Albany’s Medallion of the University, SUNY Stony Brook’s University Medal, and the honorary title “Cavaliere al Merito della Repubblica Italiana” from the Italian Government for his work in education and promoting cultural exchange.

In addition to the above, Senator LaValle has been a tireless advocate for the arts, securing much-needed funding for numerous arts efforts and organizations on the East End.  In particular, he was instrumental in procuring funds for the EEAC Carriage House Restoration Project, which has now come to fruition.

Assemblyman Fred Thiele, Public Official Friend of the Arts—Fred W. Thiele, Jr. was born on August 26, 1953 and is a lifelong resident of Sag Harbor. As Southampton town attorney and East Hampton Town Planning Board attorney, Mr. Thiele was involved in a number of environmental protection, tax relief, government reform, economic development, transportation, and affordable housing initiatives, which he continued during his tenure as town supervisor. After his election to the New York State Assembly, Mr. Thiele drafted and enacted legislation, and generated the funding necessary to continue these efforts.

Mr. Thiele has supported many of the area’s arts organizations in addition to lending a hand with numerous EEAC programs, including the Carriage House Restoration Project and the Teeny Awards.

Bob Berks, Sculptor, Lifetime Arts Achievement—As an appointee of President Johnson, renowned portrait sculptor Robert Berks served on the National Council on the Arts. He has served on two National Science Foundation advisory committees for research applications, as well as on advisory boards of the Hudson Institute Prospects for Mankind, the Center for Energy Policy and Research, Arts for the Handicapped, and the East End Arts and Humanities Council. He was a trustee of the America the Beautiful Fund and served on the Center for New York City Affairs. For three years, Berks was consultant to the Department of Justice on the prevention of drug abuse through community programs in the arts.

Berks has been recognized for his work in the Arts and in support of handicapped persons with numerous awards, including a medal of honor bestowed by the New York State Board of Regents, an award from the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts in Education for “Distinguished Leadership in Arts for the Handicapped,” and being named as Ambassador for the Arts by the National Endowment for the Arts. He continues to work in advocating for the arts, in particular as a member of the EEAC Advisory Council.

Ranny Reeve, Jazz Pianist, Inspirational Arts Educator—Mr. Reeve has been teaching and performing on Long Island for over 50 years and has been the director of the North Fork Jazz Ensemble for a decade. His performances have spanned the Eastern seaboard and many of his former students have gone on to be professional musicians. Mr. Reeve holds a BA and an MA in Music Education from Columbia University, and holds the honor of being a charter member of the Kings Park Music Hall of Fame. He has been instrumental in the development of the EEAC Community School of the Arts, and in the expansion of music education on Long Island.

Jazz in the Living Room, begun 40 years ago at Reeve’s former residence in Fort Salonga, New York, continues to be a tradition and one of Reeve’s most successful educational endeavors. While living in Fort Salonga, Mr. Reeve invited his students and their friends to his home for jazz clinics to learn to play or sing jazz and to improvise. Working, professional musicians from Long Island and NYC have come up through these sessions, and return regularly to help the new students grasp the concept of jazz improvisation. Mr. Reeve has released a number of cds as well, among which is a compilation of his compositions entitled Sweet Lullaby Suite.

Bonnie Grice, Music Director, WLIU, Spokesperson for the Arts—For over 20 years, Bonnie Grice has programmed some of the most listened-to music on public radio. Her wealth of radio experience, producing/hosting and interviewing, add up to a standard of professionalism in supporting the arts that she has spent a lifetime developing. Bonnie hosts the arts and culture program In the Morning on WLIU and WCWP, through which she tirelessly champions the arts.  Bonnie created, hosts and produces a number of other programs on those stations, including The Song Is You, a music/talk show where musicians, authors, artists, politicians, and others are invited to share their favorite music with listeners. Bonnie is also an artist in her own right, as librettist, author and actress—you might have seen her in 300 Stories in Sag Harbor— and she volunteers her time as a program host for countless events (like this one!), including the annual EEAC Teeny Awards and the old-time radio show Where the Prairie Meets the Bay.

Barry Barth, Barth’s Drug Store, Business Person for the Arts—As an active member of the Riverhead community and former president of the Riverhead Business Improvement District, Mr. Barth has been a steady supporter of the arts.  In addition to serving on the EEAC board of directors for many years in the capacity of treasurer, and as a current board member, Mr. Barth has underwritten countless events and projects with Barth’s Drugstore, including the Secret Garden Fundraisers, the Community Mosaic Street Painting Festival, the Carriage House Restoration Project, and many others. He volunteers his time (and physical strength!) to setting up and running many of the events as well. Mr. Barth doesn’t just support the arts. He has made supporting the arts an integral part of his daily life and business.

Edgar Goodale, Riverhead Building Supply, Business for the Arts—For over 58 years, Riverhead Building Supply has been the supplier of choice for quality-conscious builders, contractors, architects and homeowners in the Long Island area, and keeping a locally based company that’s extremely involved in the community has always been paramount to the company’s owners, the Goodale family. Edgar Goodale and his brothers, Bobby in particular, have long been dedicated to the arts.  Specifically, RBS has always stepped forward to underwrite EEAC events, like the Teeny Awards student theatre recognition program, as a way of ensuring that the arts remain a viable part of the area.

Troy Gustavson, Times Review Newspapers, Promoter of the Arts—Mr. Gustavson, self proclaimed semi retired, part-time copy editor, was the long-time publisher of the Times-Review Newspapers and never failed to promote the arts through the press. As a former board member and board president of the EEAC, Mr. Gustavson was instrumental in the growth of the organization.  He continues his dedication to the arts by remaining an inspiring force in many East End programs, including the East End Student Film Festival, and by serving on the EEAC Advisory Council. 

For more information or to purchase tickets, please call 631-727-0900.

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East End Arts Council
133 East Main Street
Riverhead, NY 11901
(631) 727-0900
http://www.eastendarts.org