Friends of Westchester County Parks Gala

The Friends of Westchester County Parks, Inc. held its 2010 Best Friends Awards Reception on Wednesday, April 14, at the Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle, NY. The event honored four local individuals and a local law firm for their support of Friends and the County Parks Department.  Also in attendance was County Executive Robert P. Astorino who offered his congratulations.

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Honorees were:

  • James J. Houlihan of Bronxville, a partner at Houlihan-Parnes Realtors, LLC of White Plains received the top honor, the 2010 Best Friend Award for his work as chairman of the Great Hunger Memorial Committee of Westchester County and his instrumental role in the fundraising efforts for The Rising, Westchester County’s September 11th memorial at Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla.

  • John B. Kirkpatrick, a White Plains resident and partner in the law firm Oxman, Tulis Kirkpatrick, Whyatt & Geiger LLP and his firm were presented the Best Business Friend Award by Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett for their contributions and active support of the Friends. Kirkpatrick, a highly regarded attorney and city planner, has been a trustee with the Friends since 2003 and is currently the board’s secretary.

  • Henriette Suhr of Chappaqua received the Best Green Friend Award. Mrs. Suhr, a retired decorator, and her late husband, William, an art conservator, have bequeathed their 13-acre Rocky Hills property to the county Parks Department. The department plans to operate it as a public strolling garden and a center for the study of horticulture.

  • Thatcher Drew of Bronxville received the Best Volunteer Award for his founding of the Bronx River Reservation vine cutting program, which aims to save the park’s signature trees from invasive vines. Drew and his volunteers have taught hundreds of people how to save thousands of trees along the 807-acre reservation, Westchester’s oldest park.

    • Proceeds from the event will benefit the Friends, an organization that exists to support the Westchester County Parks Department, helping to bridge the budget gap, raising thousands of dollars to buy equipment, fund children’s programs, provide amenities and support the Westchester County Parks system.