Bird Sanctuary Environmental Award To Harder Family

Frank and Kris Harder, winners of the Garden City Bird Sanctuary Environmental Stewardship Award The 2008 Garden City Bird Sanctuary Environmental Stewardship Award was presented to Frank and Kris Harder as part of the ceremony for "Make A Difference Day" on October 26. This annual award was established to acknowledge the significant support and demonstrated actions by volunteers as environmental stewards. Rob Alvey, founder of the community's nature preserve at the Nassau County stormwater storage basin on Tanners Pond Road, presented the award to the Harders by adding, "The Bird Sanctuary relies on volunteer community service and the Harder family are certainly award winners who have consistently stepped forward to provide assistance. Their long term successful businesses of Harder Trees, Harder Landscaping, and the Garden Bench has made their name a local fixture, but many people are not aware of the many times and work they've done at the 9 acre bird sanctuary. Even the giant sized River Birch trees on Tanners Pond Road were donated by the Harders." Accompanying Frank and Kris Harder were their sons Bill and Hank and their families.

Frank and Kris Harder with their family and Bird Sanctuary President Rob Alvey The Harder family is among good company. The Environmental Stewardship Award first awarded to NYS Senator Kemp Hannon who was one of the earliest and instrumental supporters of the establishment of the "dual use" of stormwater basins for community purposes. Bronwyn Hannon later became one of the first Directors and volunteered a summer to help inventory the diversity of plants, grasses, and trees at the 9 acre preserve. Through Senator Hannon's efforts, the Bird Sanctuary has received grants from the NYS Department of Parks as well as the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation to offset some of the capital expenses for development.

He also introduced the Bird Sanctuary to Assemblyman Tom McKevitt, and Maureen O'Connell, both of whom have worked hard to support the Bird Sanctuary's efforts as it expands its educational programs to other communities. Through the years, the Environmental Stewardship Award was also presented to Andrew L. Hult, who helped establish the Bird Sanctuary as a legally approved nonprofit organization and contributes much needed accounting and tax services, Chaminade High School's Emmaus Program of Father James and Brother Peter with their numerous students that help maintain and build the Bird Sanctuary; Betsy Gulotta - former President of the South Shore Audubon Society that came forward and helped permiting use of the site, and former Floral Park Mayor Steve Corbett, who saw the "sump-thing" being created in Garden City and took the idea back to Floral Park where the Village now maintains and operates the Floral Park Bird Sanctuary and Centennial Gardens in cooperation with the volunteers of the Floral Park Conservation Society.