Other honorees for the evening included Cusie Pfeifer and Nathanael Bodon. Pfeifer received “The Spirit of the Center Award” for all her wonderful efforts on behalf of the Center. Since the Center opened, Cusie has been a board member, the Center’s caretaker, and has also mounted numerous art shows on its walls. Cusie, in short, embodies the spirit of the Center and has been an integral part of its success.

Founding Board Member Ted Hayes gave an eloquent and moving speech about his experiences as a Korean War veteran and the widower of a World War II veteran while presenting the Courage Award to Nathanael Bodon, whose service in Iraq was curtailed by the military’s Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy.

Pictured on the right: Nathanael Bodon and his mother Yvonne Velez.

Nathan was equally eloquent in receiving the award, addressing a good part of his remarks (as did several other speakers) to the table of Kingston and Rondout Valley high school students, who were attending thanks to the generosity of the Hetrick-Martin Institute.

The keynote address was delivered by State Senator Tom Duane (D-NYC), the first openly gay senator in the New York legislature. Duane sponsored the Freedom to Marry bill which would amend the domestic relations law to allow same-sex couples the same access to marriage as opposite-sex couples in the state of New York.

Assemblyman Kevin Cahill (D-Kingston), whose district includes the Center building, addressed the audience in tandem with Ginny Apuzzo. Cahill read a portion of a letter from Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-NYC) proclaiming that, in recognition of our Center's quality efforts on behalf of the total community in the Valley, $230,000 had been awarded to the Center for capital improvements, which will include the addition of a handicap-accessible restroom on the first floor and the installation of an elevator to transport people between the Center’s first and second floors.

Ginny Apuzzo and Assemblyman Kevin Cahill (D-Kingston)