Catholic school principal, book store owner are among senate award winners

March 19, 2013 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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Just in the nick of time, before Women’s History Month ends, state Sen. Marty Golden will host a ceremony honoring the accomplishments of female educators, merchants, and civic leaders in his district.

March is Women’s History Month. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama held a ceremony at the White House on March 18 to honor several award winners.

Golden (R-C-Bay Ridge-southern Brooklyn) announced his plans to host a Women’s History Month celebration on Thursday, March 28, at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 3051 Nostrand Ave., starting at 7 p.m.

The honorees for 2013 are: Judy Baron, of the Manhattan Beach Community Group; Ann Marie Bartone, principal, Saint Ephrem Catholic School in Dyker Heights; Linda Cupo, of the Gerritsen Beach Property Owners Association; Linda Dalton, president of the School District 21 Community Education Council; Cathy Gearity, organizer of the Bay Ridge Semper Fi 5K Run; Maggie Gu, of Park Asia; Maria Ivaliotis, of the Marine Park Civic Association; Tracy LaTorre Ambrose, a member of the http://gbfd.net/ Gerritsen Beach Volunteer Fire Department; and Bina Valenzano, marketing director of the Merchants of Third Avenue.

“I’m so excited!” said Valenzano, owner of the BookMark Shoppe, a bookstore on Third Avenue. Valenzano, who organized the highly successful Summer Stroll on 3rd event on Third Avenue in Bay Ridge in 2012, said she feels like she is accepting the state senate award on behalf of the Merchants organization. “I’m so proud of the way our merchants came together to make the event such a success. I’m proud of our community for supporting it,” she told the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

Summer Stroll on 3rd, part of the New York City Department of Transportation’s Summer Streets program, allowed the Merchants of Third Avenue to close a portion of the avenue to vehicular traffic on four summer nights so that pedestrians could stroll at their leisure and enjoy shopping, listening to acoustic music, and watching theater groups and dancers perform.

Plans are already underway for another Summer Stroll event this year, Valenzano said.

Bartone, who has been involved in Catholic education for 40 years, said told the Brooklyn Daily Eagle that she is flattered. “I’m very thrilled and honored. I’m very surprised to be acknowledged for my work. I love my job and it gives me great joy. I didn’t expect to win an award for it. I come to work every day doing what I love to do and what I feel I am called to do,” she said.

All of the honorees will presented with state senate proclamations by Golden.

“As our city, state and nation celebrate the accomplishments of women during the month of March, I am proud to be hosting an event that will highlight some of the best of our community. Each of these women has made a difference in our neighborhood and I look forward to recognizing their work,” Golden said.

For more information, call Golden’s office at 718-238-6044.