Fred Falconer and the Knights of Columbus will be this year’s honorees at the Port Washington Senior Citizen Center’s Annual Golden Gala.
Both have demonstrated devotion to the senior citizen members and the Senior Center overall, sponsors say. This year’s event will be Nov. 14 at The Swan Club.
Fred Falconer has lived in Port Washington his entire life, with the exception of his service in the U.S. Army, where he spent most of his time on active duty in Germany. Fred’s father, Fred Falconer, Sr., started the florist in 1924 in the same location where it is today. Fred took over in 1980 when his father retired. The business has thrived over the years by providing fine products with knowledgeable service. Although the business has always flourished with flora, Fred Jr. continues to expand the offerings in the store to include a wide variety of gift items.
Dedicated to his hometown, Fred is generous to many non-profit organizations, whether it’s supplying flowers for an event at cost or for free or donating items for raffles or otherwise. It is for this reason overall, and particularly because of his continued support of the Port Washington Senior Citizens Center, that Fred Falconer, Jr. is one of this year’s Golden Gala honorees.
The Center’s other Golden Gala honoree is the Knights of Columbus Port Washington Council #1227. Due to renovations that the Town of North Hempstead is conducting at the Senior Center facility at 80 Manorhaven Blvd., a committee of board members researched alternate temporary locations. Jim Avena, who is both a board member of the Senior Center and Deputy Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, led the arrangements to use the Knights’ facility at 155 Manorhaven Blvd. for the seniors’ activities.
Without the generosity of this community-focused member organization, the senior members would have been displaced or relocated to a facility that would have been less than ideal for the programs and unable to provide the hot lunches they enjoy at the center.
The Knights of Columbus is an organization whose members volunteer millions of hours each year to raise funds for charitable projects. Its exceptional generosity to the senior citizens and the community in general is truly admirable, sponsors say.
Special recognition Golden Legacy Leadership Awards will also be given to Arlene Kase, for her years of dedicated service as a board member of the Senior Citizens Center, and to Matt Arnold, who volunteers his time each week to teach his senior students basic computer skills.
Those interested in attending the Golden Gala, learning more about the Senior Citizens Center, making a donation or volunteering in one or more ways, can contact the Center at 883-6656 or pwseniorcitizenscenter@verizon.net.
