The Tribute and Honor Foundation, dedicated to serving and honoring veterans across Long Island, hosted a record-breaking crowd Saturday, Feb. 7, at its fifth annual Tribute and Honor Awards Ceremony and Fundraising Gala at The Crescent Beach Club in Bayville.
The sold-out event brought together veterans, families, first responders, elected officials and community leaders from across the region to recognize eight honorees whose service and advocacy have strengthened the veteran community.
Among this year’s honorees was Robert Freeland of Port Washington, recipient of the foundation’s Volunteer Award, presented to a veteran in recognition of dedicated volunteer service supporting fellow veterans and the broader community. Freeland is a Vietnam War veteran who served with the 34th Engineer Battalion and continues to serve the veteran community as commander of Henderson-Marino VFW Post 1819.
“From the beginning, these awards were created not only to honor our veterans and veteran supporters, but also to shine a light on issues that are deeply important to the veteran community,” said Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, president and founder of the Tribute and Honor Foundation. “Commander Freeland represents the very best of volunteer leadership — showing up year after year for fellow veterans and for the community he serves.”
Frederick J. Blumlein, quartermaster of Henderson-Marino VFW Post 1819 and a co-presenter during the ceremony, also reflected on Freeland’s leadership.
“Bob Freeland has been a dedicated leader for our post and for the veteran community,” Blumlein said. “At Post 1819, he has been a steady and dependable presence, making sure veterans in Port Washington are supported and never forgotten.”
Jennifer DeSena, supervisor of North Hempstead, was among those in attendance and praised Freeland’s commitment while also noting the foundation’s broader impact.
“Commander Freeland’s dedication to veterans in Port Washington speaks volumes about his lifelong commitment to service,” DeSena said. “The foundation is also doing meaningful work in our community. Just this past spring, all five Paul D. Schreiber Senior High School seniors who chose to enter military service were awarded Ben Farnan Scholarships at a ceremony held at Henderson-Marino VFW Post 1819. That kind of commitment strengthens our entire community.”
Other 2026 honorees included four additional veterans — Peter Carbone, Philip Como, Scott Whitting and Officer Owen Valance — along with three veteran supporters — Long Island Cares Veterans Services, Eileen Shanahan and the Warrior Ranch Foundation, and Simone Renaud, honored posthumously.
Now in its fifth year, the Tribute and Honor Awards Ceremony continues to grow in size and impact, raising funds to advance the foundation’s mission while ensuring veterans and those who support them are seen, supported and remembered.
For more information, visit TributeAndHonorFoundation.org.
