The Community Chest of Port Washington named the Alper family its 2026 Citizens of the Year, recognizing more than a century of community involvement and service in the Port Washington area.
The honor marks the 50th year of the Citizen of the Year award, which celebrates outstanding voluntary service in health, education and welfare in the community. The Alper family will be recognized at a ceremony Monday, March 23, at 7:30 p.m. at the Port Washington Public Library.
“It’s an honor to be recognized,” said Adam Novick, owner of Alper’s Hardware and a member of the generations of the Alper’s family in Port Washington. “Quite often you do things because you feel it’s the right thing to do, and you don’t always get feedback. So it feels really good to have that acknowledgment.”
The Alper family’s roots in Port Washington date back to 1911, when Sam Alper and Mary Alper opened a jewelry and watch repair store in the center of town. The business later passed to David Alper and Fay Alper, who continued both the business and the family’s tradition of community involvement.
Family members say that commitment was shaped in part by David Alper’s vow during World War II to “build up” his hometown. Today, Alper’s Hardware remains a fixture on Main Street and a symbol of local continuity and small-business pride.
Over the decades, members of the Alper family have supported numerous local organizations and initiatives. Doris Alper Novick helped found the Port Washington Children’s Center and served on its board for more than a decade while also teaching at the preschool at Temple Beth Israel. Mark Novick served as president of the Port Washington Lions Club and on the board of the Port Washington Counseling Center.
The family has also supported organizations such as Landmark on Main Street, the Port Washington Chamber of Commerce and community events at Paul D. Schreiber High School.
Today, Novick and Brian Fogel continue that tradition through initiatives including Alper’s Karmacue, an annual charity barbecue that raises funds for the Community Chest. The family also operates a “Little Free Library” outside the store’s paint annex and partners with Plant A Row for the Hungry as a collection site for fresh produce to support local food pantries.
Novick said the family’s commitment to giving back has always been part of its identity.
“It really just has always been that way,” he said. “Years ago, if you owned a store in Port Washington, you lived here, you hired people from here and your customers were from here. We’ve kind of stayed old-fashioned in that mindset — that you’re part of the community. It’s not just a job.”
He added that generations of family involvement in local institutions helped shape that connection.
“My grandparents helped found Temple Beth Israel, my mom was a director at the nursery school there and my father was president of the Lions Club,” Novick said. “We were always involved. We never felt like passengers here — we felt like we were helping drive the ship.”
For Novick, the recognition reflects more than a business legacy — it represents decades of community ties.
“We’re very proud and happy to celebrate 115 years of always doing our best,” he said. “We’re not always perfect, but we try to be good citizens, good neighbors and leaders in town.”
Drew Hershkowitz, president of the Community Chest of Port Washington, said the family’s longstanding dedication made them a natural choice for the milestone year of the award.
“For generations, the Alper family has been a steadfast presence and a cornerstone of our town,” Hershkowitz said. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to honor them as Citizen of the Year recipients.”
The Alper family is the 50th recipient of the Citizen of the Year award, established in 1970. Their names will be engraved on the Citizen of the Year obelisk on permanent display at the Port Washington Public Library alongside the names of the award’s previous honorees.
